Henry Winkler Offers Tearjerking Advice for Kelly Clarkson's Daughter

Clarkson's daughter, who shares the same learning disability as Winkler, is facing challenges from her elementary classmates.

Henry Winkler is serving as a major role model for Kelly Clarkson's 8-year-old daughter, River Rose.

The Barry star stopped by the "Breakway" singer's talk show to chat about the series' final season and his newest children's series, starting with Detective Duck, which is releasing in October.

Clarkson marveled at Winkler's success as a writer—this is his and co-writer Lin Oliver's 38th novel together—sharing a sweet story about River with the author from a recent drive to school.

"She's dyslexic, and you have told me that you're dyslexic, as well, and I find that amazing to tell my daughter that you've written like 40 books and you're dyslexic," she told Winkler.

She went on to reveal that the second-grader has been bullied at school for not reading as well as the other kids do. But according to Clarkson, River's school held an assembly about dyslexia, leading Winkler to point out that one in five children have the learning disability.

“So it’s more common than—I didn’t know that,” Clarkson said.

“She’s in the tribe,” Winkler interjected as Clarkson went on to talk about how the school pointed out a selection of celebrities that are dyslexic, including Anthony Mackie and Zachary Levi, and emphasized their success.

“It really empowered her that y’all are so open about it,” Clarkson added.

Winkler then spoke directly to Clarkson's daughter, pointing at the camera. "River, how you learn has nothing to do with how brilliant you are,” he said.

"Oh," the host sighed, immediately dissolving into tears. "It's fine. We're fine. My makeup artist is going to kill me,” she joked, adding, "That's so nice!"

Clarkson shares River, as well as seven-year-old Remington, with her ex-husband Brandon Blackstock.