“SUPERNANNY” Is Required Viewing

Have you ever watched the TV show “SuperNanny” on WABC? If you haven’t you are missing some great parenting advice!

I have watched about 10 episodes of “SuperNanny” and I have to say that I think it is an excellent demonstration of proper parenting skills. First, the Mom viewer usually feels relieved right away because the behavior of the kids on the show is usually worse than what she is dealing with at home! Then, we get to see how these “monster” behaviors demonstrated on the show can be changed. If you watch the show regularly, you will see that the Nanny enacts the same principles regardless of the behaviors:

1. Mom and Dad have to be on the same page in trying to change the behaviors.
2. When the parents lead, the child will follow.
3. Be firm, consistent and organized.

No matter the age of the child or the “bad behavior” in question, the Nanny has the same intervention using these three basic principles. This is good for us Moms to see because it helps us believe that it is really possible to make sweeping changes,

In my years as a parenting consultant, the number one issue that gives parents grief revolves around bedtime. Often, it is that the kids are sleeping in the parents’ bed and they cant get them out, the kids wont go to bed, or they wake up in middle of night and want Mom or the Mom has to either hold or lie down with the child until he falls asleep. It is easy to understand how the over worked and overtired Moms have gotten themselves into the situation (I have been down this road too!) Universally, once the situation is bad, Moms feel it is impossible to get out of it. In fact, the dread of how bad it is going to be to try to change it is responsible for inaction for a very long time! In our Mom brain, we also think that our situation is very complicated and filled with “special circumstances”. But, also universally, once the Mom sets her mind to changing the behavior, she is pleasantly surprised that it was not as difficult as she expected.

This is where I think watching SuperNanny can really be helpful! Seeing these 3 simple principles enacted over and over in some extreme situations is a great tutorial. Even if you are one of the few lucky parents that have it all under control, it will serve as a great reinforcer!