Television host Carson Daly says he now communicates with his 13-year-old daughter Etta more through Snapchat than through face-to-face conversations.
Videos by Suggest
The longtime Today co-host and The Voice host discussed the situation during a recent appearance on Today With Jenna & Sheinelle. Daly joked that he no longer understands how teenagers communicate and admitted that connecting with Etta has become increasingly difficult as she moves through adolescence.
“I have a 13-year-old, Etta, who is doing great, who I never speak with,” Daly said during the segment. He then asked co-host Jenna Bush Hager, “Do you speak 13-year-old? ’Cause I don’t.”
Carson Daly Explains How He Communicates With His Teen Daughter
Daly explained that he decided to adapt rather than fight against the communication gap. About six months ago, he joined Snapchat after realizing that many teenagers prefer quick digital interactions over conversations.
“You ever hear that phrase, ‘You’ve got to meet kids where they are?’” he posed. “You hear it in business a lot, right? They want to advertise, get in front of them.”
“I have literally communicated with my daughter, in particular, more via Snapchat than I have in real life,” he half-joked. Daly described their exchanges as brief but meaningful, often involving emojis, short messages, and internet slang.
“I can say, ‘Are you okay?’ And then I’ll put some stupid emoji,” he recounted. “And she’ll write back, like, ‘LOL,’ and all these little things are flying all over the screen.”
“As silly as it is, I am connected a little bit,” he said.
Daly shares four children with his wife, food blogger and cookbook author Siri Pinter: Jackson, 17, Etta, 13, London, 11, and Goldie, 6. During the same television appearance, Daly also joked about his children’s future dating lives and said food plays a central role in his family’s relationships and traditions.
“The only reservation I would have for my kids would be, like, a vegan or something like that, maybe.”
Many viewers praised the television personality for openly acknowledging the challenges parents face in staying connected with children growing up in the digital age.