Modern Family: Ranking The Characters Based On Parenting Skills
When Haley and Dylan have twins near the end of Modern Family, this life change makes the other parents on the sitcom think carefully about their parenting styles and beliefs. Everyone wants to be there for them and help out and seeing Haley becoming a parent makes Claire, Phil, Jay, Gloria, Mitch, and Cam feel even more love and appreciation for this big family.
From the three main parental units to some minor characters who appear sometimes on the sitcom, there are several parents on Modern Family, and fans can tell that some are more compassionate and present than others.
11 Javier Delgado
Javier is an absent parent for much of Manny's life. While he does visit, these moments are random and rare, and he often flakes when he's supposed to do something with his son.
Javier is the most absent and unreliable parent on Modern Family. He doesn't even seem to care or mind that he hasn't been there for much of Manny's life, which is a shame.
10 DeDe Pritchett
When looking at Modern Family's recurring characters, fans find it tough to watch DeDe, who is often insulting Claire or dealing with one crisis or another.
DeDe hasn't proven that she has been a great parent, especially since Claire and Mitch have always felt insecure when interacting with her. While DeDe likes to lean on her family when times are hard, like when she's struggling in her marriage to Jerry, she doesn't express her love for them very often.
9 Dylan Marshall
With time, it seems that Dylan will be a great parent as he loves his twins and is thrilled to have started a family with Haley. But as fans see Haley and Dylan adjusting to parenthood in season 11, it's definitely a rough ride.
Dylan's ditzy personality can be funny, but as Haley and Dylan get ready for their babies, they move into a converted garage that has a hole in the roof and not enough space. Dylan has a lot of growing up to do and a lot to learn about parenting.
8 Haley Dunphy
Like Dylan, Haley is just getting used to her new life and fans can tell that she'll become more confident and comfortable as time goes on.
While Haley does make mistakes, her worry that she's not a good mom is heartbreaking to watch. The season 11 episode "Spuds" is emotional as Phil and Claire go out for dinner with Haley and Dylan and tell them that parents all mess up but their kids will be fine. Haley isn't as great when compared to the other, more experienced parents on the sitcom, but she loves her kids and that counts for a lot.
7 Frank Dunphy
Phil's father Frank is an incredibly kind person, and he loves joking around and goofing off as much as his son, which is always fun to watch.
Phil always feels loved and supported by Frank, which is important, and it seems that Phil has no complaints about the way that he was brought up. While fans don't see a lot of Frank, they know that he's a wonderful father to Phil.
6 Jay Pritchett
Through Claire and Jay's Modern Family scenes, fans can see that Jay wants to be a good parent, but he can sometimes be stubborn, old-fashioned, and out of touch with what his family actually wants.
Jay does grow up a lot as the show goes on, learning to praise his kids and grandkids for what they have done in their lives and trying to loosen up his need for control. Even when Jay makes mistakes, viewers know that he loves his family so much.
5 Mitch Pritchett
Fans can tell that Mitch loves being a parent from the moment that he and Cam adopt Lily. While Mitch sometimes wonders if he's doing what he can to make Lily happy, his concern shows how much he cares.
Mitch also shows that work/life balance is important and that he's a better parent if he has some time to himself. Mitch and Cam are often planning fun dates and while they're always there for Lily, they make time for themselves, too, knowing that they can only be there for Lily if they're dealing with the stressors of life.
4 Cam Tucker
While Cam's Modern Family advice isn't always the best, Cam is a devoted father to Lily and, later, Rexford. Cam always tries to make life fun, cooking with Lily when she's a baby and taking her to meet his family back home on the farm as often as he can.
Cam proves what a caring parent he is when he looks after his sister Pam's son Cal when she's in prison. Cam never runs from responsibility and he proves that a good parent is someone who can have some fun along the journey.
3 Phil Dunphy
As someone whose inner child is often out in full force, Phil finds a lot of joy in being a dad. He likes joking around with Luke, spending time with Alex and Haley, and helping his kids when they need them.
Phil can worry a lot and he is always sensitive to the changes going on in his family's lives. Out of all of the parents on Modern Family, Phil proves that it's possible to have a casual and fun attitude while still being serious when it counts.
2 Gloria Delgado-Pritchett
Even though sometimes fans cringe at Gloria and Manny's relationship, viewers know that Gloria loves Manny and Joe so much and that she just wants to be there for them throughout all of life's changes.
Gloria allows her children to grow and flourish while supporting them, and she just wants them to be happy and healthy. When Manny goes to college, Gloria does loosen up and lets him have his own life, while still being there, like when she lets his girlfriend Sherry live in the house for a while.
1 Claire Dunphy
Of all the parents on Modern Family, Claire might be the most uptight and overwhelmed, but she also is the best one.
Once Claire realizes that her kids are totally different from her and that she can't actually control every moment of their lives and schedules, she becomes a much better parent. Claire is incredibly sweet when Haley announces her pregnancy and helps her and Dylan out, no matter what they need. Luke, Alex, and Haley feel cared for all the time and they always know that Claire will be there, which is really important.