The Parent Chat with Dylan Dreyer

Surviving the Teenage Years with 'Modern Family' stars Julie Bowen & Ty Burrell

The Parent Chat with Dylan Dreyer

Show Notes

On this episode of The Parent Chat, Dylan Dreyer sits down with Modern Family's Julie Bowen and Ty Burrell — real-life parents of five teenagers — for an honest conversation about what happens when your kids stop needing you quite so much.

They get into the questions parents of older kids are really asking: How do you keep the conversation going when your teenager shuts down? What do you do when you're 95% invisible and just waiting for that 5% moment? And how do you co-parent well after divorce when you're still figuring it all out?

Plus Ty's trick for talking to teenagers without accidentally delivering a lecture, Julie's tip for getting boys to actually open up in the car, and why a boundary-free kid coming over for a sleepover might be the best parenting lesson your child ever gets. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

More from The Parent Chat with Dylan Dreyer

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As a bonus for The Parent Chat fans, we’re sharing the trailer for season 5 of Morrison Mysteries.

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When grandparents help raise your kids, how do you navigate the family dynamics and decide who makes the rules? On this episode of “The Parent Chat,” Dylan Dreyer opens up about having her mom, Linda, live with her and help care for her three boys. Then, in a rare on-camera appearance, Linda joins Dylan for an honest conversation about parenting styles, setting boundaries, family dinners and how their relationship has changed.

Oct 8, 2026

In this episode of The Parent Chat, Dylan Dreyer gets real about Halloween, from boo bags she didn't know existed until last year to costumes that change the week before (bacon is in, baseball is out). She opens up about the guilt of missing the school parade, the pressure to keep up, and why she's learned to lean in without going overboard. Plus content creator and Halloween superfan, Steffy Degreff, breaks down last minute costume saves, easy decorating ideas, and why "good enough" might be the best parenting advice of the season. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Oct 1, 2026

In this episode of The Parent Chat, we’re talking kids’ birthday parties. Birthday season at Dylan Dreyer's house means a constantly morphing cake order (Ninjago is out, football is in), a calendar full of other kids' parties, and a lingering question: are kids' birthday parties just another arena for competitive parenting? Dylan gets honest about why she'd happily skip the big party, and what to do about "no gifts, please" invitations, gift-opening that's become a pile of bags, and a December birthday two days before Christmas.

See all episodes →