Modern Family: 10 Things That Make No Sense About Lily

Mitch and Cam’s adoptive daughter on Modern Family, Lily Tucker-Pritchett, is a fiery combination of sass and wit. Fans got to witness her grow from a baby in the pilot, to a vivacious and clever teenager by the culmination of the series. One of the youngest members of the Dunphy-Pritchett clan, her character brings an abundance of freshness and sweetness to the show.

She is full of sassy comebacks, has a great sense of humor and an overabundance of confidence, however, there are still some things that don’t seem to add up about her personality.

9 Her Adoption

Sure, there is no doubting that Mitch and Cam are the best parents Lily could have. They adore her, raise her with so much love and kindness, and adhere to her every need. However, legally her adoption makes no sense.

In the pilot that was released in 2009, the audience is informed that Mitch and Cam visit Vietnam to adopt Lily. However, Vietnam, unfortunately, discriminates against same-sex couples from adopting. Therefore, it likely would have been impossible for a same-sex couple such as Mitch and Cam to adopt from Vietnam.

8 Her Lack Of On-Screen Presence

Through the first few seasons of the show, fans get to witness a lot of Lily. We get to see Cam and Mitch’s differing parenting styles as they raise their adorable toddler. However, as the seasons go on, Lily seems to get a lot less screen time.

Sure, as you grow older, you’re likely to spend less time with your parents. However, Lily is missing on various occasions. There are times when she doesn’t appear on screen for multiple episodes in a go, leaving fans wondering why she’s MIA and why Mitch and Cam don’t seem to notice her absence.

7 Her Academic Proficiency

In the finale episode of season 8, The Graduates, fans along with Mitch and Cam, learn for the first time that Lily is actually extremely academically gifted. So much so, that her principal suggests her to skip a grade so that she can study with peers closer to her level of intelligence.

However, in season 11’s episode, “New Kids on The Block,” Lily talks about being happy with scoring a 70 on an art project that she completed by simply throwing glitter on a mirror she found in the trash. This leaves fans wondering if Lily really is a bright student and if she really does care about her academic performance.

6 Not Wanting A Sibling

Cam and Mitch want to adopt another child pretty early on in the show, however, until the very last season, Lily seems to be extremely against this idea. This doesn’t seem to make a lot of sense since Lily is the opposite of a needy child.

In fact, she usually seems annoyed by all the attention Cam gives her and generally requires her own space. Therefore, it would only make sense for her to be okay with the idea of a sibling since she’s doesn’t seem afraid of sharing her parent’s attention.

5 Being Able To Control Multiple Teenagers

Now it’s no secret that even at her young age Lily is quite assertive and can be domineering at times. However, it would be impossible for even her to be able to control a room full of excited partying teenagers.

Yet in season 7’s episode, “The Party,” Lily is seen taking control of almost two dozen teenagers, making sure they stay quiet and hidden when all the parents return home unexpectedly.

4 Her Brutal Honesty

Mitch and Cam may be great parents, however, the one skill they clearly lack is that of honesty. Granted most of them are tiny white lies and only used to spare their partner’s feelings, however, they will always choose a lie over a confrontation.

Therefore, it doesn’t make much sense that Lily is exactly the opposite. She is known for her brutal honesty, even when more often than not it causes her to hurt someone’s feelings. With Mitch and Cam being such opposites, it leaves us wondering where she picked up this personality trait from.

3 Her Lack Of Empathy

It is pretty evident throughout the series that Lily is pretty much apathetic to any situation. Her lack of empathy is even picked up on by her dads in season 6’s episode, “Cry Me A River,” where Mitch and Cam grow concerned over their daughter’s lack of sympathy in any given situation.

Now it is possible for kids in certain situations to not develop a keen sense of empathy. However, Lily grows up in a loving home, surrounded by family that adores her and always caters to her every need. Therefore, it doesn’t seem to make much sense that Lily doesn’t show much empathy to even her own dads throughout the show.

2 Her Relationship With Luke

If there is one character on the show who can challenge Lily, it’s her older cousin Luke. From the very start of the show, Luke is the only member of the family who tries to mess with Lily and often puts her in precarious situations, such as wanting to launch her from a giant catapult in season 3’s Halloween episode, or wanting to aim his golf balls into her mouth in season 4.

Therefore, it doesn’t seem to make any sense that Luke is the only member of the family Lily doesn’t show her feisty side too. In fact, she usually just lets him annoy her to no end, which is extremely unrealistic for her character.

1 Her Lack Of Need To Be Liked

One thing all kids have in common is their intense desire to be accepted and loved by others, especially their family and their peers. However, Lily seems to completely ignore this aspect of childhood.

With her insistent sass, feisty comebacks, and lack of empathy for others, Lily is more than happy being herself, rather than showing any need for being liked or accepted by those around her. This level of self-assurance and composure is almost impossible for a kid her age to possess.

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