For 11 seasons, fans have seen Claire Dunphy do it all on Modern Family. She gave up her career to be a stay-at-home mom for 20 years, she raised three kids and did everything she could to get them to college, and she later became the head honcho of Pritchett's Closets and Blinds. She's a one-woman show who can do it all.
Together, she and Phil did the best they could raising their children while also keeping the flame alive. And while there were some justified meltdowns from time to time, it's only because she cares. At the same time, Claire had toxic moments that made fans question her decision-making. As great of a parent as Claire was, some moments weren't her best.
Updated on December 10th, 2021, by Lynn Gibbs: Claire Dunphy was a big part of what made Modern Family so successful. She was the type-A personality that needed a sense of control and organization to feel fulfilled. She loved being a mother and a wife but there were times where her need for perfection hindered her ability to be the best version of herself for her children.
Whenever things didn't go right for her kids, her involvement typically made the situation worse. And in some cases—like with Alex—her disinterest in her kids' affairs outside of school made her seem like an unattached, distant mother. This isn't to say that Claire was a bad mom, but there were multiple times where she struggled to be the best she could be.
Claire Struggled As A Mom...
When She Paid Haley To Spend Time With Alex So She Wouldn't Have To
When Alex got her driver's permit, she could only drive with another licensed driver. Due to Alex's need for safety and assurance, she was a very slow and cautious driver — something Claire couldn't stand.
Instead of using these moments as bonding time with her second daughter, Claire paid Haley to ride with Alex because she couldn't stand how prudent she was behind the wheel. Haley and Alex have done some bad things to each other, but this was a kind moment between the two. Alex found out later that her mom paid Haley just to get out of spending time with her and was incredibly hurt.
When She Interrupted Her Daughter's Proposal
When Haley and Dylan were hot and heavy for each other, he came along on their family vacation to the ranch. Overcome by nature and family, Dylan thought it was a great time to propose to Haley. The problem is, as soon as Dylan got down on one knee, Claire interrupted the whole thing.
She explained they were too young and dumb to partake in something so serious. She didn't think Haley and Dylan made sense and wanted Haley to hold off on such a big commitment. Although Claire wasn't wrong, it was Haley's special moment taken away from her. It was her proposal to turn down and she never had the chance.
When She Handled Alex's Mono Diagnosis Horribly
When Alex contracted mono, she had to leave school and stay home for the semester. While Claire and Phil loved having all their kids at home, Alex's sickness was driving her crazy. But at the same time, Alex turned hostile against her family and judged everyone for their actions.
Claire loved this moody side of Alex because she looked like the fun police on behalf of Claire. Claire finally had someone to do her dirty work for her. With Alex correcting everyone, cleaning everything, and judging the family, Claire highlighted the fact that she was way nicer than Alex was. Using her daughter as a means to be liked by others was a low blow for Claire and one of the worst things she did to Alex.
When She Protected Alex From The Wrong Crowd... In The Wrong Way
In the episode 'Snip,' Alex got restless with being the safe "dork" at school and started hanging out with a new, darker crowd. She started hanging out with a new gothic girl named Skyler and Claire walked in on the two girls who were home early from school.
Alex skipped last period and went home to shave the back of her head, but before Skyler could shave Alex's, Claire cut in and grabbed the razor, accidentally snipping off a huge chunk of Skyler's hair. By Claire getting so involved and shaving a part of her friend's head, she embarrassed Alex and made the situation worse.
When She Handled Haley's Pregnancy News Horribly
When Haley told her family that she and Dylan were pregnant, she was terrified because she knew her mom was going to have a lot of negative things to say about it. And while Claire's face was frozen in time when Haley broke the news, Claire eventually found the willpower to congratulate her.
While that went well, it was her behavior afterward that was seen as hurtful. She was bothered by Haley's life path and hated that she was with Dylan. Phil had to remind her again and again that she could not change what was happening. To make amends, Claire then invited Haley and Dylan to live with them so they could save money.
When She Wanted Her Kids Out Of The House (And Then Backtracked)
Claire and Phil had every right to want some peace and quiet in their home after a loud couple of months. Between the three kids, Dylan, and Haley's twins, Claire and Phil were outnumbered. There came a time where she gathered the kids together and told them that one kid had to leave the house. Claire was an adult about the situation but the way she went about it was harsh.
Her kids suddenly didn't feel at home in their own home. By the end of the episode, Claire backtracked and apologized but by that time, all of her kids found other accommodations and were halfway out the door.
When She Hid From The Family In Her Own Motel Room
In the episode 'Marco Polo,' the Dunphys moved into a motel for the weekend while their home got work done to remove mold. A supposed fun two days, however, ended up turning into even more days and a lot of fighting.
In such a small space with, essentially, five adults, the Dunphys were at each other's throats. That's when Phil saw Claire leave a separate hotel room. As it turns out, she bought herself a second room as a place to hide and get away from her crazy family while the others suffered. While everyone needs their sanity in times of stress, Claire left her family out to dry. It was one of the worst things she did to Phil who just wanted more family time.
Claire Was An Amazing Mom...
When She Bailed Haley Out Of College (And Helped Her Get Back On Her Feet)
No one was more surprised when Haley got accepted into college than Claire and Phil. Out of all their children, they figured Haley would be their educational problem child, considering she even toyed around with the idea of never going to college. But in a classic Haley move, she got kicked out of college after getting arrested for underage drinking and assaulting a police officer.
Claire and Phil were justifiably angry at their daughter but they still gave her a safe space to land and welcomed her home when they didn't need to. Because of Claire's generosity and comfort, Haley was able to transform into a mature woman.
When She Went Above And Beyond To Help Luke Feel Included At School
With Haley being crowned prom queen and Alex getting every brainy award there was, Claire felt like Luke was overlooked. To give him a little pep in his step, she decided to head down to the school to try to bribe the principal into getting Luke one of those school awards. After all, it didn't make sense to her that Luke wasn't as popular or bright as his sisters.
The principal shook Claire's bribes off but he did mention that Luke was one point away from getting the Integrity Award. To ensure her son would win, she literally pushed his competitor's car into a 'no parking zone' so he would get a ticket, making Luke the winner. While it wasn't Claire's proudest moment, this move proved how badly she wanted her son to feel valued.
When She Showed Her Love For Haley With A Tattoo
Fans have never seen Claire and Haley bond more than on her 21st birthday. With Haley being a legal adult, Claire finally let her hair down and relaxed for once in her life. The two hit a bar with Gloria, Mitchell, and Cam for Haley's "first" legal drink.
Everyone had a great time, which prompted Haley to want a matching tattoo with her mom. Seeing how much Haley wanted it, Claire obliged and even went first in the tattoo chair. Sadly for Claire, Haley chickened out and never got the other half of the tattoo... It was Haley's mistake for pushing her mom to do it with her, but Claire was a caring mom to want to permanently ink herself for her daughter.
When She Proved That Women Can Be Anything They Want To Be
It didn't necessarily make sense that Claire became the CEO of Pritchett's Closets and Blinds when she wasn't comfortable in charge, but that changed with time. When the timing was right, she decided to show off her new title by bringing her girls to work with her. In an attempt to show her girls how cool it is to be the boss, she ends up embarrassing herself.
As the new boss, she still doesn't know all her employees' names and she didn't always have the right answer, which made her look more foolish than in charge. Despite Claire's mistakes in the workplace, it's inspiring to her daughters that Claire was a woman in charge on top of being a wife and mother.
When She Got Luke Into College
When Luke was a senior, it was clear he was having a hard time getting into college. He received denial after denial — including to Phil's alma mater. With Phil being a legacy, he and Claire headed down to talk to the dean of admissions to try and get Luke a second chance.
Their little stunt worked and Luke was accepted. The only problem is Luke denied acceptance because he didn't earn it himself. He was only accepted because of his parents.
When She Got Them All Where They Were Meant To Be
As toxic as Claire was at times, her job as a mother was completed in season 11. While the journey was a long one, all of her kids were on successful routes. Haley was married with twins and had a job she loved. Alex was on her way to Europe to work on an amazing project with a new boyfriend that Claire and Phil approved of. And Luke was accepted into a better university out of state.
Everything she hoped her kids would become came true. Her family was secure and safe, which is all she could have asked for. Because of all this, Claire is a great TV mom.
When She Was A Hands-On Grandmother
As much as Claire didn't want her daughter to have kids so young, she was thrilled to have grandkids and be a hands-on grandma (even though she hated that name). Having two babies around brought life back in the house and kept Haley and Dylan close to home because they needed the help. And luckily for Claire, they took all the advice she could give.
There were plenty of times that Claire hated having so much noise in her house, but she saw the benefits of having babies around, especially when they helped her get her way in public.