As Father’s Day weekend approaches, Teen Mom: The Next Chapter star Tyler Baltierra can’t help but think about the daughter he and his wife Catelynn Lowell Baltierra placed for adoption when they were 16 years old.
“To be honest with you, Carly’s always the first one I think about on that day, especially as the kids get older,” Tyler, 32, exclusively shared with Us Weekly on Wednesday, June 12. “I always wake up to little gifts here and there, and so I always think about, ‘Wow, what would it be like to have an almost 15-year-old saying, ‘Hey, happy Father’s Day dad.’ It hits you like a ton of bricks and it gets more intense as the kids get older and the little gifts get more sentimental.”
“I always think about her on that day, because she was the first,” the reality star continued. “She’s the one that made me a dad in the first place. I definitely don’t ever have a Father’s Day without thinking about her.”
In 2009, cameras rolled as MTV’s 16 and Pregnant documented Tyler and Catelynn, 32, tearfully handing over their newborn daughter to her adoptive parents outside of the hospital. The high school sweethearts continued their journey on Teen Mom and welcomed three additional daughters: Nova, 9, Vaeda, 5, and Rya, 2.
As much as adoption can be challenging, Tyler said he doesn’t regret his decision. After all, it was an attempt to give Carly the best life possible.
“I know internally for a fact that Carly’s soul was meant to come into this world in this way,” he explained. “I don’t know why yet. I’m not sure, but I can say in the 15 years that she’s been alive, she has changed multiple lives. She has had a ripple effect on countless lives in my family and Cate’s family and she almost has no idea the power that her life has done to people.”
As Carly’s adoptive parents continue to raise her away from MTV cameras, Tyler remains hopeful that his relationship with his firstborn will grow as she gets older.
“Just because she’s 18, that’s not some magical age or number where she’s going to come running back to us or anything like that,” he pointed out. “But I am excited for her to have the freedom of having that connection and just be able to reach out whenever she wants.”
For now, Tyler is savoring every possible moment with his three younger daughters. On Father’s Day, the MTV star plans to sit outside his Michigan home enjoying a barbecue and games with his kids.
The Teen Mom star is also focused on being a good example of a “girl dad,” creating a safe space filled with open communication and zero judgment.
“You gotta show enough strength when you need it and then show enough softness so they know they can come to you and it’s a balance,” he said about his role as a father. “Me and Cate always sit down and kind of do check-ins with our kids. I want all the girls to know that the stage is theirs whenever they need it. I think it’s important to be heard.”
Teen Mom: The Next Chapter airs Thursdays on MTV at 8 p.m.
