No.1 parenting rule Catherine O'Hara never had to say out loud
ETimes February 02, 2026 01:39 AM
Catherine O’Hara, the beloved actress who brought warmth and humour to classics like Home Alone and Schitt’s Creek, died on January 30, 2026, at age 71. While the world admired her comic genius, she said the role she cherished most was being a mother to her two sons, Matthew and Luke, whom she shared with her husband, production designer Bo Welch.
The unspoken rule: Put family firstO’Hara’s number-one parenting rule wasn’t written in a handbook. It was lived day by day: family comes before fame. In interviews, she explained her work choices were shaped by this belief. “In deciding what work I might get involved in for my whole working life, my family’s always come first,” she said, adding that when her sons were babies, she often questioned the point of working if it meant leaving them.
This wasn’t a catchphrase. It was a steady compass that guided her toward roles close to home and limited long trips that would pull her away from her children. That priority wasn’t simple. It required thoughtful trade-offs between career momentum and shared moments at home.
Laugh together, stay togetherO’Hara also modelled another gentle rule: nurture joy in the everyday. She once said of her home life, “I’m proud to say, we all make each other laugh… They made each other laugh to the end.”
Humour wasn’t just part of her profession. It was the glue of her family’s world. She cultivated light-hearted moments, encouraged her sons’ own funny instincts, and made laughter a steady rhythm in daily life. For parents, that lesson matters: caring for emotions and connection can be as powerful as teaching manners or routines.
Choosing presence over pressureOver a career spanning decades, O’Hara chose projects that fit her family life. When offered work that required weeks of travel, she weighed the cost with real honesty. She once explained how a job in London became a life lesson: she kept it short and simple because a long absence didn’t feel right for her and her young sons.
That doesn’t mean she avoided challenges. It means she measured success not by awards or applause but by presence. In today’s culture, where busyness is often praised, her quiet commitment to presence offers a refreshingly human model.
A legacy that speaks without wordsO’Hara rarely spoke publicly about parenting tips. Yet her life broadcast a clear message: be there, truly and fully. For many families, that message resonates deeply because it mirrors the hopes parents tuck into every day: being present when little feet run into the room, when jokes spill at the dinner table, when life’s ordinary moments become memories.
Her own sons later joined her world behind the camera, working on Schitt’s Creek and The Last of Us, proof of their shared creative life and the environment that nurtured their gifts.
What can parents take home?O’Hara’s unspoken rule isn’t about perfection. It’s about intention. It’s about making choices that align with values rather than the loudest applause. And it reminds parents that the most lasting legacies grow in small, everyday moments, breakfasts, afternoon jokes, bedtime stories, and shared laughter.
Disclaimer: This article is based on publicly available information about Catherine O’Hara’s life and statements. It aims to reflect her perspectives accurately, with quotes and details drawn from verified interviews and news reports.
