Super Nanny
The episode under consideration is about the Collins family. Jason is the head of the family. He works outside the home in a British bakery where he is a manager. He works until late and usually comes home no earlier than 8 p.m. Karen is the mother whose only work is looking after the family’s four children. Ben is their oldest son and he is 10; their daughter Lauren is 8; younger children are Joshua (6) and Joseph (2).
From the father’s perspective, the problem consists in their children being naughty and uncontrollable; he sees how tired Karen gets during the day but he cannot help it. From the mother’s perspective, the problem consists in her inability to control all of the children at one at the same time, since Joseph, her younger son, requires constant attention. From the children’s perspective, there are no problems; they do not think that situation in their family should be fixed. Moreover, they claim that Supernanny’s techniques will never work in case with their family and they are aiming to prove it.
The main behavioral problem of this family is the mother’s inability to make the children respect her. The children are aggressive; they use obscene words in their parents’ presence, as well as in Nanny’s presence, despite their mother’s asking them not to do this.
Supernanny techniques are separating children into the so-called “naughty areas” and taking away their toys for misbehavior. Together with this, Nanny is trying to show respect for each member of the family. She thoroughly explains to children why they were punished and what they should do to avoid the punishment in future. Her respect to parents consists of constantly explaining to them why her techniques are useful.
With time, the members of the family start opposing Nanny’s interventions. This results in children’s resistance and parents’ tears when they feel sorry for their kids being punished. Nevertheless, Nanny’s techniques proved to be efficient and there is hardly anything else which I could recommend if I were Collins’ family practitioner.
Wife Swap
The episode under discussion is about Wiggins and Felix. Felix’s family lives in New York; the mother of the family is working while the father is unemployed. Their socio-economic status resulted in their children being uneducated and well-bred. The head of the Wiggins family is ex-marine; the family has a high socio-economic status; they are respected by their neighbors and members of the family respect each other. Felix family consists of Vicki who is 27, her husband Jeremy (28), and their children Erikka and Dyllan, aged 9 and 5 respectively. Wiggins’ family includes Bill (41), his wife Neicey (40), their two teenage sons Billy Jr. (18) and Brelend who is 15.
The main culture clash occurring during the swap is all about Jeremy’s disregard to black people. He constantly uses the “N” word and other racial slurs.
Wiggins’ main values are order, cleanness and respect for older people, whereas the main rule of Felix family is the absence of any rules.
With respect to roles, power, communication, and emotional expression, Wiggins’ family is balanced with the father being an authority and the one whose orders are fulfilled without reservations. Felix family, on the contrary, is imbalanced; the children disobey both the parents. Wiggins’ children are brought up in military conditions, which results in discipline in the family, treating mother and father with respect, and being rewarded for good behavior. The Felix family does not distinguish between the role of men, women, and children within the family and society because all they think about is just having fun.
The least acceptable thing which Felix family (particularly Jeremy) could do, would be continue expressing his racist attitudes, whereas the same thing for Wiggins family would be to disregard the absence of discipline in Felix family.
If I were hired to provide support services for Felix family I would be astonished at the mother’s ignorance of her children and family in general, and would be pleased to see how organized and disciplined the Wiggins are.