Super Nanny

I let my kids watch Supernanny with me last night. I thought that maybe if they saw how an out of control household can rehabilitate (in only a week), they might look at things differently at home. Don't get me wrong. Our home life is nothing like what we saw on the show. We have thus usual problem of not listening, not doing what you are supposed to be doing, a little disrespecting and a whole lot of not appreciating what you have.

Here's the synopsis of the show from Season 3 Episode 5:

Donna is a single mom who's been through multiple ordeals over the last four years. Her son, Cole (8), survived a two-year, all-consuming battle with leukemia. But soon afterwards, two years ago, Donna's husband Steve suddenly died.

Left alone to bring up their four children -- Blake (11), Cole, Aiden (3) and Stephanie (1 1/2) -- Donna was so depleted, she lost control of the kids. She found it easier to give in than to discipline. Now the older boys swear and curse at their mom, fight constantly, and have no respect for her or each other. The oldest, Blake, often runs off to hang out with older kids in the neighborhood, and Donna has no say over when he'll come home. She fears that the youngest two are starting to follow their big brothers' example.

But when Jo Frost tries to show Mom how to implement rules that stick, there's a near-mutiny by the boys.

OMG. This was a little heavy. My husband looked at me as though I had lost all sense. He questioned what I was thinking. He was right, but I really thought if they saw how this worked out, they would realize what parts of their behaviour was not acceptable.

The kids were transfixed. Although they have seen some of this behaviour in their friends and their friends’ siblings, it blew them away. They could not understand why any kid would be so disrespectful, even swear at, and hit their mother. Both of my kids have lashed out in fits a few times... I don't think that they see the two being the same. They watched these kids do things they never dreamed of doing. Jaws were dropped. Along the way, I made sure that they knew this was never going to happen here. They knew.

The amazing thing - and it happens every week on this show - is that less than a week later, the family was transformed. After watching the show, the kids asked if Supernanny could come to our house. I asked if we needed her. My son said yes, and explained it was because he and his sister did not treat each other well. Then my daughter realized that the show is taped and everyone would see us on TV - bad behaviour and all! They changed their mind quickly. Then they asked for a rewards chart. They thought they could earn computer and Wii time with good behaviour and chores done. I laughed. My kids get plenty of time to do these things. It's the other things they don't do enough. Yes. I get it; they do the other things to get the computer time. But I thought about it and I don't want them to equate vacuuming the house or doing homework to earning game time. I don't think they have anything to do with each other. I believe that a 7 and 8 year old can understand that there are things they are responsible to do. The kids were good with that.

What I would like them to understand is that we have house rules. They know it, but easily get distracted - let’s say. So I can see it being helpful to have them printed up to remind everyone. I also think a checklist is a good idea. I would like us all to make a list - together - of our realistic expectations for each other. Each day we would check off/cross of each one we managed/missed. Like a photograph, when you see it in print, you know it’s real.