Opening
Announcer: Tonight, on Supernanny: Jo meets the Westons. During her two weeks with the family, their terrorizing tot puts up a fight. Then Jo lays down the law. (Opening credits play)
Submission Reel
The taxi drives down a sunny road full of fallen leaves. Jo opens her DVD player.
Jo: Let's have a look.
Fred: Hi, I'm Fred.
Andrea: Hi, I'm Andrea.
Fred: And we're the Westons. We have two children: Andrew who's 4, and Sean who's 11 months. (Baby Sean is seen falling over as he drinks from his bottle)
Andrea: I'm a schoolteacher. Fred sells insurance for a living. (Younger picture of Andrea and Fred appears, followed by wedding picture.)
Fred: Andrea and I met at church.
Andrea: It was like at first sight. Definitely like. (Jo laughs.) Life without kids was being invited to dinners with no children.
Fred: But now on the weekends, different lifestyle than it is now. Life with kids can be very difficult sometimes. (Footage of children screaming. Jo peers at the DVD player with concern.)
Andrea: Supernanny, we need your help. We have our son, Andrew. He's got some issues.
Andrew stomps toward a playmate, threatening to throw a large plastic container at her. Backed into a corner, the girl starts panicking and screaming.
Andrea: It's painful for a mother to have a child that has a "reputation." We're like, we'll go play with friends. Who gets hurt? He always hurts the other kids.
Playing with blocks on the floor with the girl, Andrew suddenly grabs the girls head and leans in close.
Girl: No, DON'T DO IT! (Pushes Andrew away)
Andrea (from other room): Andrew!
Jo: What is he doing?
Fred: Andrew does get a little rough with his brother.
Andrew flips Sean over. While Sean is crying on the floor, Andrew runs at him and leaps over Sean, knocking him over on the way.
Andrea: All the time he tortures his brother. We just don't know how to make him care. We put him on timeout, he marches right back out. "You go get in your room!"
Jo: Andrew's behavior has to stop.
Andrea: I get messages saying, "Call your daycare. Your kid is getting kicked out of daycare." It devastated me. (Footage of Andrew kicking cabinets, screaming and throwing things) I would love to find a preschool that could handle him, but I've called everywhere.
Andrew: Poo-poo head!
Jo: Oh, dear.
Fred: Andrew at dinnertime: Always an experience. (Andrew cries at the table, lies on the chair and screams.)
Andrea: He will refuse to eat dinner. Every night.
Andrew (pushing a plate across the counter): I don't want it! (Cries. Jo blinks in disbelief.)
Andrea: He has trouble sleeping.
Fred: Andrew seems to want to come out of his bed at least four or five times a night.
Andrea (as she puts Andrew back to bed): And Mommy is getting frustrated.
Andrea: So please come to our house, Supernanny. And help us out. 'Cause we need you.
Jo (closing DVD player): They definitely do need me! I'm on my way.
The taxi drives up to the Weston Family home.
Observation
Jo knocks on the door. Andrew answers it. Jo bend down to greet him.
Jo: Hello!
Andrea (entering foyer): Hello.
Jo: Hello! I'm Jo Frost, pleased to meet you.
Andrea: How are you? I'm Andrea. This is Andrew.
Jo: Hi, Andrew!
Jo (interview): Today I met the Weston Family.
Jo: Hi!
Fred: Hi, Jo, I'm Fred. Nice to meet you.
Jo: I'm Jo.
Jo (interview): They were very warm and very inviting.
Fred (interview): For someone who has a lot of knowledge I think she seemed really young.
Andrea (interview): She is very friendly and young at heart. I can tell.
Jo: I'm going to watch and observe you today. I know you've got some family issues that need to be addressed. But just go ahead as if I weren't here and um, I'll ask you some questions later.
Andrea: OK.
Fred: All right.
Sean sits in a highchair.
Jo: Who's this little one?
Andrea: This is baby Sean!
Jo: Hello! (Touches Sean's hand) Hello, sweetie!
Andrea: Are you going to be shy?
Jo (interview): When I first meet a family, I go in, and I take mental notes and I observe the dynamics of their family.
Observation begins
Jo (interview): My observation began watching Mom and the boys play in the backyard.
Andrew happily sprays a garden hose into the air, then starts spraying a wagon with the water.
Andrea: OK, Andrew, you're done. Andrew? You're done washing now, so turn off the water. That's it. It's still early for water.
Andrew: I'm cleaning.
Andrea: You're done. Turn off the water.
Andrew: I'm just cleaning.
Andrea: OK, I'm turning it off because you don't want to listen. (Turns off water. Andrew looks at the empty garden hose in horror.) Now he's gonna go into his mode. (He starts turning the wagon over.)
Andrew: Ugh! (Hits the wagon) I just want to play with it again! (Runs off and knocks a chair over. He also throws a shovel and a slide onto the grass.)
Jo (interview): He was throwing chairs, and knocking things over. Just because Mom turned the water off.
Andrea: Excuse me? Uh-uh (Andrew throws another chair and starts dashing through the patio to the grass.) No. No. Stop. Stop! Stop, and think. (Andrew runs away.) Andrew, I'm not chasing after you. You come here. I want to talk to you. Andrew, if I have to walk over there, you're going to be in your room on a long timeout. I want you to come over here.
Andrew: No! (Cries, dashes across the yard) Poo-poo, poo-poo! You go away, poo-poo.
Andrea: Come here. Now.
Andrew: OK, poo-poo. Come here, poo-poo.
Andrea: Don't you talk that way to me. That is very mean.
Jo (interview): Andrew's temperament needs to be put in check. And Mom's letting him get away with it completely.
Andrew's scary playdate
The doorbell rings. Fred opens the door to greet Anaya and her parents. Title card reads, "Anaya & her parents - Family friends."
Anaya's dad: Hello!
Fred: Come on in.
Andrew and Anaya play with crayons at a small table. Jo looks on.
Jo (interview): Andrew had a friend around to play, and it gave me a really good opportunity to watch him with other children around.
Andrew: A...
Anaya: Ooh! He colored on the table! (Close-up of Andrew drawing on the table)
Jo (interview): They were drawing together, and playing.
Andrew: Anaya colored on the table!
Anaya: No, I didn't. Look.
Jo (interview): It started off OK, but it very quickly led to his little friend running off crying to her parents.
Andrew leans over and starts coloring in stabbing motions on Anaya's paper.
Anaya: Hey! Aaah! (Picks up her ruined drawing and stares at it in horror, cries and walks away)
Anaya's dad: What happened?
Anaya: He colored on mine!
Anaya's dad: Just tell him not to. Say, "Do not do that, Andrew."
As soon as Anaya returns to the table with her paper, Andrew leans over and starts coloring on it.
Anaya (waving her hands at Andrew): Aah! Aaah! AAAH!! (Cries, picks up her paper and runs away) Mommy!
Jo shakes her head at the camera.
Jo (interview): Andrew's behavior got worse. And he started to intimidate this poor little girl.
Andrew and Anaya sit on the floor, playing with blocks. Anaya starts picking up blocks and small toys to play with.
Andrew: Don't build that! Don't- (He snatches one toy away as Anaya picks up another. He suddenly leans in and grabs her face.) DON'T BUILD THAT!
Anaya shoves his hands away. She stares at Andrew with a stunned look on her face.
Andrea: Andrew!
Andrew: Don't build it-- (Anaya starts crying loudly. Her mom, Amy, comes in to pick her up. She cries louder.) Don't throw them.
Amy: Andrew. Hey. We're gonna play together. (To Jo) She was trying to build, and he didn't want her to build, and grabbed her (mimics the face-grabbing), like really close to him.
Jo (interview): Andrew grabbed this little girl's face, and he started pulling at her. And she was so scared, and it is this kind of behavior that needs to stop.
Anaya stands, watching Andrew on the floor with his blocks. Title card reads, "10 minutes later." Without warning, Andrew savagely throws a block at Anaya. She runs away.
Jo (interview): 10 minutes later, he was acting up again.
Andrea (taking Andrew by the hand): Andrew, you go to your room. That's not nice.
The worst timeout routine ever
Jo follows Andrea and Andrew upstairs to Andrew's room.
Jo (interview): Finally Andrea steps in, and she takes Andrew for timeout in his bedroom. What a place! It's where he sleeps and plays. I don't think it's a good idea to place any child in their bedroom for discipline.
Andrea: Three minutes. I'll be back. (Andrew starts crying.) You think about it, and I'll come back and get you.
Andrew: No... (Andrea closes the door.) Mama!
Andrea (talking through door): Andrew, I'm not gonna-- No. I'm not gonna let go of the door until you sit down. When you're sitting down I'll let go of the door.
Jo looks very annoyed at this exchange. She rolls her eyes and stoically stare at the ceiling with an unusually blank look on her face, as if willing herself to not react to the stupidity of Andrea's behavior.
Jo: How long could you be standing outside here?
Andrea: Half an hour.
Jo: Holding that door.
Andrea: On and off.
Andrew: No!
Andrea: Are you sitting down? OK, I'll open it. You're sitting down?
Andrew: Waah, ah hah!
Andrea: I'm sorry, you're not allowed to throw things. You're in timeout. I'll leave the door open, but don't come out. (Andrew cries, inches toward door) You want me to get Dad? Then you stay here. Ah! Do not step out.
Jo (interview): Mom has got this timeout completely wrong! This is crazy.
Andrew runs out to Jo and Andrea in the hallway. Andrea carries him back to his room.
Andrea: I'm going to do step number two with you because you're not listening.
She sits on the bed with Andrew in her lap. She locks her arms over Andrew's chest to prevent him from leaving. He is still crying. Jo looks in from the doorway.
Jo: What's step number two, Andrea?
Andrea: You hold him for four minutes.
Jo (to camera): He's getting kissed and cuddled at the same time he's meant to be on discipline. (Rolls eyes) So no wonder Andrew behaves the way he is.
Andrew: No, I don't want to go!
Andrea: OK, you can stay here then. (Leaves room and follows Andrea to kitchen. He throws himself on the floor and cries loudly.)
Jo (to camera): So Andrea has lost control of the discipline here. He's got too much control, and poor little Andrew doesn't even know what to do with it.
Andrea (to Andrew as he lies crying on the floor): Hey, Heart Attack Boy, can you get up?
Jo (to camera): So no wonder Andrew gets away with murder!
Announcer: Coming up on Supernanny: Andrew turns bedtime into a nightmare. And the Westons get an earful from Jo. When Supernanny returns.
Dinnertime
Fred: Have a bite. You haven't even touched your hot dog yet.
Andrea: You've got to eat your hot dog, Andrew. (Andrew cries over his food.)
Jo (interview): Andrew's very picky about what he eats. He's very fussy about the quantity they eat.
Andrea: Andrew. Stop licking it and eat it. (Andrew continues to slowly lick the ketchup off the hot dog in a most unappetizing manner.)
Andrea (interview): If he's not being served his favorite meals, he will just refuse to eat his dinner.
Andrea: We're almost done. We're gonna get down, and you'll be stuck here. Well, are we done, Dad? We're done. OK, Andrew, stay up there.
Fred (leaving table): Get up there and eat. Don't get down.
Andrea: Get back in your chair now.
Andrew sits alone at the dinner table, not eating his dinner, which is a single hot dog and a sippy cup of milk.
Andrea (interview): The frustrating part is, the clock is ticking. And things aren't getting done.
Andrea checks in on Andrew at the dinner table. He has eaten half the hot dog and the bun is uneaten, torn into four clumpy pieces on his paper plate.
Andrea: Finish it. You're almost done. Eat.
Andrew: Nope.
Andrea (interview): Because I'm having a food war with my child every night.
While Andrea washes dishes in the kitchen, Andrew gets out of his chair to sit on the dining table.
Andrea: Andrew? Sit down. Eat. (Andrew leaves the dining area, running past Andrea in the kitchen as he does so.) Andrew.
Fred: Hey.
Andrea (herding Andrew back to the dining room): Back in your seat.
Andrew sits alone at the table, not eating. Sean plays on the floor behind Andrew's chair.
Andrea: I'm getting tired, Andrew. Come on!
Slowly, Andrew proceeds to eat the bun and rest of the hot dog. He wipes his fingers into the ketchup on his plate for fun. Title card reads, "35 minutes later." Andrew displays his empty plate to Andrea, who is still washing dishes.
Andrew: Ta-da!
Jo (interview): Half an hour of messing around, he finally finished the hot dog.
Andrea (taking plate from Andrew): Finally!
Bedtime
Andrea: And, it's bedtime. I'm warning you. Five minutes to go, Andrew.
Andrew repeatedly pushes Sean by the head into a nylon play tent. Sean cries and tries to escape Andrew. Every time he gets up, Andrew pushes him back down. Jo shakes her head at this behavior. The camera pulls back and we see Fred is also roughhousing in the tent. Andrew leaves the room.
Jo (to camera): Mom has just given Andrew a five-minute warning for bedtime. And she's got to put Sean down as well. At the moment it's very, very hyper for two little boys who have got to go to bed. I'd be, uh, very surprised if they go down straightaway.
After random, unstructured playing in the living room, Fred gets the boys dressed for bed.
Andrew: I don't like my bed.
Andrea: Oh yes, you do!
Fred: Well, I like this bed. This is a great bed.
Andrea: You're tired. You've gotta go to sleep, buddy.
The parents leave the room. As soon as they leave, Andrew dashes out of the room. Road Runner-style "Boing!" and "Zip!" sound effects accompany Andrew's departure. Jo, sitting in the room watching Andrew, chuckles at the camera as Andrew escapes. Title card reads, "1st time out of bed."
Jo: I don't think he's going to bed!
Andrea: Andrew, where'd you go? (She finds him under the dining table.) Andrew, get back in bed.
Andrea takes him by the hand and leads him out of the dining room.
Andrew: I'm thirsty.
Andrea: You're thirsty? I'm not gonna give into your water problem, you're not gonna use that excuse again. Do you understand? Goodnight, Seanie. I love you.
Andrew sits on his bed, drinking a large cup of water. Andrea puts Sean down in his crib, which is next to Andrew's bed. Jo looks in from the doorway.
Jo (to Andrew and Sean): Night night.
Andrew (rudely to Jo): Go home.
Jo (snickers, to camera): He's just told me to go home!
Sean crawls around in his crib. Andrew dashes out of the bedroom. Title card reads, "2nd time out of bed."
Andrea (following Andrew back to his room): Back to your bed. Now.
Jo: That's the second time. So, how many more times will that happen, or is that it now?
Andrea: He'll manipulate throughout the night.
Night-vision footage shows Andrew again leaving the room. Title card reads, "3rd time out of bed." Andrea kneels down to address Andrew in the hallway.
Andrea: Excuse me? Back to bed. You get your hug and your kiss and that's it. Go back to bed, I've already given you hugs and kisses.
Jo (interview): What Andrew does is so common. He's got like a hundred and one excuses so that he doesn't have to go to bed and sleep.
Andrew (looking down the dark hallway and back at Andrea): Can't see.
Andrea: You can too see. Go.
Andrew: I wanna see it. (Andrew tries to jump for the hall light switch, gets it.)
Andrea: You can see, Andrew.
Andrew: No, I can't.
Jo: How many times now?
Andrea: Three.
Jo: Three.
Title card reads, "4th time out of bed." Andrew runs out of the room and turns on the hall light. Andrea turns it off.
Title card reads, "5th time out of bed." Andrew reaches for the hall light.
Andrea: What?
Andrew: Stop turning off the light.
Andrea: OK, I'll turn on the bathroom light. (Sean starts crying in the background.) You're upsetting your brother. Get back into bed, right now.
Night-vision footage of Andrew getting back into bed, Sean crying in crib. Andrea enters the room.
Andrea: What? No. Mommy's getting exhausted. Go to sleep.
Jo (interview): And both children are having trouble sleeping. I wonder why?
Andrea (interview): Andrew has played his bedtime games up until 12:45 at night.
Title card reads, "6th time out of bed." Andrew again leaves the room and enters the kitchen.
Jo: What do you need?
Andrew: Music.
Andrea: What?
Andrew: Music.
Jo (interview): Andrew was in and out of bed like a yo-yo. Anything he wanted, Mom gave him. And nobody is gonna get to sleep tonight.
Andrea: I'm getting tired and upset. You need to stay in your bed. Go.
Andrew (walking away): Turn the music on.
Andrea: I will. Get in bed.
Andrew: OK. Come on.
Jo (interview): Mom and Dad are fully aware of how Andrew manipulates them. My question to them is, why have they allowed it to go on for so long? I'm really looking forward to getting in and getting that ball rolling.
Parent Meeting
Jo (interview): When I first meet a family, I observe their family life, and the dynamics between the parents and their children. I take mental notes throughout the day of what I feel is not working. And at the end of the evening, I sit down and talk to the parents.
Jo: Andrea and Fred, let's go into the other room and discuss what I have observed.
Fred (interview): Jo is observing the good parts of us, but she's mostly looking for the bad parts of us. And that's a little unnerving.
Jo sits down with Fred and Andrea in the living room.
Andrea (interview): I hope that Jo comes up with a plan as soon as possible to help our family and improve our lives.
Jo: Andrea and Fred. What energy! What energy your family has. I see two educated parents. You guys know so much about your children.
Andrea: We agree. (Fred and Andrea laugh.)
Jo: Good. So what I'd like to say to the pair of you, is where did the control start to slip? You know that Andrew manipulates you. You know that he waggles his little finger and gets his own way when he wants to. But the question is, do you know why the pair of you allow that to happen?
Andrea: I think just having a child is challenging. You know? He's uh. he's taken the reins in some ways and we've tried to take them back in control and we'll try something for a while and it doesn't work.
Jo: But when you get yourself into a cycle, where bad habits are breeding, and your children are coming up to you and challenging you, then that cycle needs to be broke [sic]. Those bad habits need to change. Behavior. Behavior with Andrew, it concerns me. When he plays with other children, he's very overpowering. He's very controlling. And he's very aggressive. To throw toys at other children, to shout at them...Andrew needs to be taught by you guys. He needs to be taught how to play. And I feel at four years old, he's quite capable of being able to play with his friends. But he won't know how to do that unless you teach him.
Andrea: You know, you don't want to see your kid struggle. You know, you don't want him to be the bully or...You want to do what you know you need to do as a parent so your kid will be successful.
Jo: But you are giving your child love. And you are giving your child praise and encouragement. But you need to balance that.
Andrea: And that's-- That's where we fail.
Jo: I don't think it's about failing. And I don't want you to sit here as parents and feel like failures. Because no parent's perfect. No parent. After speaking to the pair of you, I can't wait to work with you guys and start implementing techniques and to change this for the better. Are you guys committed to working on that, to give it a go?
Fred: Sure. Absolutely.
Andrea: Definitely. For sure.
Jo: Yeah.
Andrea (interview): It's a very tough lesson for a parent to retrain themselves. Just like on your job, if you've done something the same way for 10 years, it's definitely difficult to stop doing that pattern.
Announcer: Coming up, on Supernanny: Jo teaches Andrea and Fred how to rein Andrew in. But Andrew rebels against the new rules. When Supernanny returns.
Teaching
The taxi returns to the Weston Family home.
Teaching begins
Jo (entering house): Hello!
Andrea (to Sean): Say hi!
Jo (tickling Sean's cheek): Kiss kiss kiss! (To Fred and Andrea) I've got something here I want to show you both.
She posts a household routine on the wall by the hallway.
Andrea: Hey, Andrew, look over here! She's got something for us.
Jo (interview): When I observe a family, the first thing I do is give them a household routine. And the Weston Family, they didn't have a consistent schedule.
Jo: The priority is that the children are put into a consistent routine. So 5 to 5:30, Sean and Andrew eat dinner. And then bedtime at 7 o'clock.
Fred (interview): Jo gave us a schedule to keep us on track. As far as eating, going to bed. I think that's good.
Jo: With all the rest of the techniques we're going to implement, the discipline is going to be under control. The chaoticness [sic], the inconsistency, is going to vanish. OK? So...
Fred: That's great. We'll implement this, and we will do it.
Jo (interview): When it comes to behavior, the first thing I want to address is Andrew's aggression towards other children. And I've set up the Naughty Spot technique so that when he misbehaves, that's where he'll go.
Andrew and the Naughty Spot
In the living room, Jo puts books away on a bookshelf. Sean crawls around at her side. Andrew comes up and grabs Sean to his chest without warning. Sean starts to cry.
Jo: No, no, don't-- Andrew. (Takes Andrew by the shoulders to face her.) Andrew, do not do that to Sean. Be nice please, around your brother. He's only a baby.
Andrew: No, he's not. He's a big boy.
Jo: OK?
Andrew: He's a big boy.
Jo: No, he's not. You're a big boy. Yes, you're a big boy. And Sean's a baby.
Jo (interview): Andrew just continued to be aggressive towards baby Sean.
Andrew lies on the floor, with his legs in Andrea's lap. Sean tries climbing up Andrea, and Andrew kicks him aside.
Andrea: No. No-- (Andrew smiles as he lies on the floor, kicking away.)
Jo: When Andrew does things that are unacceptable, I'd like you to give him a warning first. With eye contact, coming down to his level.
Title card reads, "NAUGHTY SPOT TECHNIQUE - Always give a warning." Andrea kneels in front of Sean, holding him by the upper arms to look him in the eye.
Andrea: Are you listening?
Andrew nods. Title card reads, "STEP 1: Come down to child's level."
Andrea: What you're doing--
Andrew: Ow! Ow!
Andrea: By kicking baby Sean--
Andrew: Ow!
Andrea: Is not OK. I don't want you kicking baby Sean.
Andrew walks away.
Jo: I want you to give him a warning, but you must change your tone of voice, so that he recognizes authority.
Title card reads, "STEP 2 - Use authoritative voice." Andrew walks back to Andrea and makes somewhat fake crying noises. He proceeds to yell and cry over Jo's words as she raises her voice to continue teaching Andrea.
Jo: If he does not listen, I would like you to place him, in whatever room you're in, I would like you place him by the wall. And tell him to sit there and to stay there.
Andrea: OK, you're not listening. So you're gonna go over to the wall.
Andrea walks him to the wall. Title card reads, "STEP 3 - Place child on Naughty Spot."
Jo: Lower your tone, let him realize you're being serious.
Andrea: You will sit--
Andrew: Poo poo.
Andrea: You will sit here--
Andrew: Go away, poo poo.
Andrea: And you're gonna think about not kicking your brother.
Jo: What I don't want you to be-- Come here for a minute-- In case he gets up again, which he is now-- I want to show you something. OK?
Jo gives Sean back to Andrea, then turns to Andrew, who is running around with a devilish grin on his face. She raises her voice and lowers her tone. As she speaks, Andrew runs back to the Naughty Spot. Jo walks behind him commandingly.
Jo: Andrew, go and sit back down. Here. Until mummy tells you that you can get up.
Andrew sits down and picks at his toes.
Andrea (interview): Jo's voice caused Andrew to be scared enough to go back to that spot. My question to Jo is, "Tell me how to get that child to stop playing games for the first 20 minutes with the Naughty Spot."
Andrew: COME BACK! MAMA!!
Jo (with Andrea and Sean in kitchen): This is where the consistency comes in. You must go back and follow through.
Andrew yells as he knocks books off the bookshelf and scatters them across the floor.
Jo: The same that you did before.
Andrew throws a book in their direction.
Andrea: OK, so I just have to be consistent now.
Jo: For what he's doing. Yes.
Andrew throws more books. Andrea enters the living room purposefully and for the first time, uses a lower, more authoritative tone. She bends over to look in Andrew's eyes.
Andrea: Andrew, that behavior is not acceptable. You sit here and you think--
Andrew (staring into Andrea's eyes): Poo poo.
Andrea: --About not kicking your brother.
Andrew (not breaking his gaze): Poo poo.
Jo: I guarantee you that every time you're consistent and follow through, he gets the same message.
Andrew quietly rolls around in the Naughty Spot.
Jo: After his four minutes, I want you to say to him, "Now you behave yourself, and I'd like you to apologize."
Andrea: OK, got it.
She returns to the living room with Sean in her arms. Andrew, still lying on the floor, has started kicking the living room window. Title card reads, "FINAL STEP - Get child to apologize."
Andrea: Andrew, the reason why you were placed on the floor, is you were hitting your brother. And kicking him. You need to behave or you'll be back on the floor again. You need to hug your brother and say "Sorry." Because you were hurting your brother.
Andrew, who had been trying to get a hug from Andrea, now turns and hugs Sean. He kisses the top of Sean's head.
Jo: He needs to say "Sorry."
Andrea: Say "Sorry."
Andrew: Sorry!
Andrew learns to play nicely
Jo (interview): When I observed Andrew playing with his friends, he was very overpowering and controlling. So to help Mom and Dad, I set up the Shared Play technique so they could teach Andrew about how to play nicely with his friends.
Andrew and a friend play at a table with Play-Doh. Andrea and Jo oversee the proceedings.
Andrea: Andrew, when she gets done with something, you can ask for it. When you get done with something, you can give it to her so she can try and cut something.
Title card reads, "STEP 1: Teach child to take turns."
Jo (interview): You teach your child how to recognize how to play with other children. So that they take turns.
Jo: Ask each other nicely. Which is, "Please can I have the knife, Andrew?"
Title card reads, "STEP 2: Teach child to ask nicely."
Jo: While Andrew says, "Molly, please, can I have the fork?"
Andrea: Andrew. Did you hear how to ask nicely, Andrew?
Andrew: Yes.
Andrea: OK, say it.
Andrew: Please.
Andrea: Good!
Jo: So, Mom, what we're gonna do is walk away now, and we're gonna take this to the next level.
Title card reads, "FINAL STEP: Supervise from afar."
Jo (interview): Once Andrew knows what's expected of him, Mom can then allow herself to step back, and relax.
Jo, Fred and Andrea observe Andrew from the kitchen.
Jo: Look how beautifully he's playing now. I want you to be able to have faith in knowing you can do that with any child you leave Andrew with.
Andrea: Yes, that's good.
Announcer: Coming up, on Supernanny: Andrew throws a fit. And the Westons struggle to keep him in bed. When Supernanny returns.
Andrew melts down
In his highchair, Sean coughs and fusses while he's waiting for Andrea to feed him.
Andrea: I'm getting to you, little guy. (Sean coughs and fusses again.) I'm getting to you.
Jo (interview): Whilst Mom was feeding baby Sean, Andrew wanted his chocolate milk warmed up. And he threw a massive tantrum over it.
Andrew enters the kitchen, sobbing dramatically as he holds his unwarmed sippy cup of chocolate milk up in the air.
Andrew: NO!
He cries and drops to the floor. He knocks the cup on the floor, too.
Andrew: It's cold!
As Andrea starts talking to Andrew, he gets on his tummy and starts rolling the cup back and forth between his hands. He pays more attention to the cup than to Andrea.
Andrea: I can't understand, you're crying so much. When you're done crying, you come up and you tell me what you want nicely.
Andrew: Mommy, I want it!
Andrea: What do you want, Andrew?
Andrew (dropping back onto the floor): AAAAAAAAHHH!!!!
Jo: Say, "I don't understand you. Talk to me properly, so that I can understand you."
Andrea (to Andrew): Normal talking.
Andrew: NO!
Andrea: I don't understand you, Andrew.
Andrew: Warm it up. I want a drink.
Andrea: You want your drink warmed up?
Jo: (Prompting Andrea) "Now ask me nicely." (Prompting Andrew) "I'd like my drink warmed up, please, Mommy."
Andrea: Say it. "I want my drink warmed up."
Andrew (screaming): I DON'T WANT TO SAY IT!!
Jo: Ignore it. Ignore it.
Jo (interview): I want to teach Andrea how to not give in to Andrew's tantrums.
Fred: What's going on?
Jo: Come in, Fred.
Jo (interview): He was in shock. He looked very pale.
Jo: Are you all right? Seeing-- Is it the crying?
Fred: I've never seen him act in this manner before.
Andrea: Do not hit me, Andrew. I don't like that.
Jo (interview): Andrea started to catch on very quickly. And when it hit her, she took him straight to the Naughty Spot.
Andrea: You don't hit people. You sit there and you think about it.
Andrew: NOOO! NOOOOOO!
Andrea (interview): It upset me as a parent to see my child become that emotionally upset where he was almost begging to be picked up and held.
Jo: I want you to listen to what I'm saying, because I've been to many, many houses where parents go, "Oh my God. It feels like it's all gone mayhem. It feels like it's getting worse." The only thing that's just got worse is that Andrew's just realized that his mom and dad are now in control of the discipline.
Andrew rolls around the Naughty Spot, screaming, crying and shaking at the rails of a large baby toy.
Andrea: You don't hit. All's I wanted you to do is say, "Mommy, I want you to warm up my chocolate milk." In a nice, nice way.
Andrew continues to sob. Andrea picks him up and carries him around like a baby with his head on her shoulder.
Jo: Don't pick him up. He's not a baby. Don't pick him up. Don't pacify him in that way. Honestly, you are not-- You are not being cruel, you're just setting boundaries. (Andrea puts Andrew down.) He will thank you for it later. Trust me on this. Lord, he will.
Andrew runs back into Andrea's arms. He continues to sob. Andrea hugs him.
Andrew: Mommy....
Jo: OK?
Fred (interview): Anytime somebody comes into your house, and starts to give you directions, it's hard. It's hard to accept change, it's hard to accept criticism.
Dinnertime
The Weston Family sits together at the dining table. Their dinner appears to be chicken fettucine alfredo, peas and garlic bread.
Fred: Man that spoon right there, Andrew? (Andrew takes hold of the spoon in the pasta bowl.)
Jo (interview): Tonight at dinner, I want to put a stop to Andrew sitting at the table and not eating a thing.
Andrea (rearranging Andrew in his chair): Under. You need to sit down and you need to eat your chicken.
Andrew: Ew!
Jo (interview): I taught Andrea to use a method where she would give lots of praise and encouragement for when he was eating at the table.
Andrea: You know what you're wasting? All of your free time tonight.
Jo: Use it in a positive way. "Come on, four more, then we can go on and play."
Title card reads, "GOOD EATER TECHNIQUE - Always set a goal."
Andrea: Andrew, get your four bites.
Andrew: No.
Andrea: Go. You go pick up your first, or I will.
Andrew: No! I don't want--
Andrea: Let's count. Well, you still have to finish your dinner.
Jo: Show Mommy one! Ready.... (Andrew eats a bite.) Good boy!
Andrea: Good job, Andrew.
Jo: That's one! Can you show me one? Use your finger. One.
Andrew proudly holds up one finger.
Jo: Good boy! That's it.
Jo (interview): Every time Andrew ate a spoonful, Andrea would praise him.
Title card reads, "STEP 1: Count bites with child." Andrew happily eats his dinner. Jo holds up two fingers. He eats his second bite and holds up two fingers. A bell dings. Jo holds up three fingers. He eats his third bite and holds up three fingers. The bell rings again.
Jo (interview): And give him more encouragement to take the next spoonful.
Jo: Now Mommy asks for four!
Andrea: Show me four, Andrew!
Jo: You know, give me like, four! Encouragement. (Holds up four fingers at Andrew)
Andrea: Four, Andrew! Four!
Jo: Four! Mommy, clap, because you've had four, and listen-- Well done! (Andrea and Jo clap.)
Jo (interview): Andrew ate his dinner, and he was so proud of himself. It's all very well that you give your child discipline, but at the same time you need to balance by giving lots of praise and encouragement, too.
Andrea (taking Andrew into her lap): You did a really good job, I'm proud of you.
Bedtime
Jo (interview): No way are Sean and Andrew ever going to get the sleep they need if they continue to share the same room. So today we put baby Sean into his own room, and gave Andrew his bedroom back.
Fred, Jo and Andrea move Sean's crib to a new room. Andrew helps tidy up his own room.
Jo: Look at that, you're such a good helper!
Jo (interview): It's the first step for the boys, to get the sleep that they properly need.
Jo: What I want to discuss with the pair of you is the Stay in Bed technique. So, this is how it goes. You tuck them into bed, kiss and cuddles, goodnight. He comes out, you say, "It's bedtime, darling." You tuck him back in, you give him a kiss. The third time he comes out, you ignore. And you just take him straight into his bed, and put the covers over him, and walk out. OK? And if he comes out the fourth time, and the fifth time, you repeat the third action. Which is to ignore him, and put him back into his bed.
Andrea and Andrew sit together in Andrew's room.
Andrea: You think Sean's doing well in his room?
Andrew: Seanie can sleep by himself. And I can sleep by myself.
Andrea sighs and hugs Andrew.
Andrea: You can? I love to hear that!
Andrew brushes his teeth. Andrea reads a story to Andrew. Title card reads, "STAY IN BED TECHNIQUE - Always eliminate excuses."
Jo (interview): There needs to be an elimination process. Where Andrew can have a little bit of water, where the light's left on--
Andrea (turning light off in Andrew's room): Night-night.
Jo (interview): And the door left ajar. So that Andrew can't keep simply coming out with loads of excuses all the time.
Andrew gets out of bed. Title card reads, "1st time out of bed."
Andrew: Mommy, my hamster keeps running in the thing.
Jo (interview): Andrew has a little baby hamster that was, um, nocturnal and decided to do some exercising! (Laughs) And he came out to tell his mom...
Andrea walks Andrew back into the bedroom. Title card reads, "STEP 1: Return child, kiss goodnight."
Andrea: Good night. Back in bed.
Andrew walks through the living room. Title card reads, "2nd time out of bed." Andrea takes Andrew's hand and starts to lead him back to his bedroom.
Jo: Remember the technique. Remember to tell him, "it's time for bed, darling."
Jo, Andrea and Andrew go back to Andrew's room. Title card reads, "STEP 2: Return child to bed."
Jo: Keep it nice. Keep it nice. "It's time for bed, darling. In you go."
Andrea: It's time for bed. Good night.
Andrew again gets out of bed. Title card reads, "3rd time out of bed." Andrew smiles as Andrea comes to put him back into bed. Title card reads, "STEP 3: Return child to bed, no conversation." Andrew babbles as Andrea gets him back to bed.
Jo: Don't respond to him. Don't respond to him.
Andrea (interview): Andrew walked out of his room three times within a 15 minute period instead of 30 times. It was very peaceful in the Weston household. And anybody could tell you, it's never like that.
Jo: I'm going to leave now. Whoa! What's that? Whoo!
Fred chuckles as Andrea takes a deep breath.
Andrea: Don't leave us!
Jo (interview): Now that I've taught Andrea and Fred the techniques, I'm going to go away for a couple of days, because it's really important that they grasp how to do it themselves.
Jo: And remember, the pair of you-- It's about the finer details in the techniques. Go through from A, B and C. Andrea-- (hugs) Be strong. Keep it positive.
Andrea (interview): Jo's making a big difference in our house.
Jo: Fred-- (hugs) Take care.
Fred: Of course.
Andrea (interview): I became a better person to turn things around.
Jo leaves the Weston Family home. As she leaves, Fred and Andrea wave goodbye from the doorway.
Fred: Take care!
Andrea: Bye.
Fred: Bye-bye.
Jo (interview): No doubt that Andrea and Fred are gonna be put to the test. And whilst they're doing it, I'm gonna be watching them.
The taxi speeds away.
Announcer: Coming up, on Supernanny: The Westons take Andrew on, without Jo's supervision. But Andrew won't go down without a fight. When Supernanny returns.
Family Test Run
Jo prepares the leave the Weston Family.
Jo: Andrea-- (Hugs)
Andrea (interview): The hard part won't be for Andrew. It will be for us.
Jo (interview): No doubt that Andrea and Fred are gonna be put to the test. But I just hope that they really stick to it 100 percent. And whilst they're doing it, I'm gonna be watching them.
Jo returns to the brown sofa in the undisclosed location and turns on the DVD player.
Jo: OK, it's lunchtime. Let's see if Mom can get Andrew to eat.
At the dining table, Andrew gets in his chair. Andrea is feeding Sean.
Andrea: Sit up. There you go. Ready, go! Count out loud. Four!
Jo: You're counting his bites. That's great.
Andrew (tugging violently at Sean's hand): Seanie, it's four!
Andrea: Andrew, you can do it. You can do it!
Andrew (angrily): I AM!
Andrea: OK, do one.
Andrew (yelling in Sean's face): SEAN, YOU CAN DO IT!
Jo: He's starting to play up at the table.
Andrew continues to bat at Sean. Andrea pulls the highchair away from Andrew.
Andrea: Andrew, no. You don't do that. (Andrew hits Sean's highchair tray.) No. I'm giving you a warning. If you hit Sean again, you're going to go on timeout. The Naughty Spot.
Andrew: Poo poo head.
Jo: Oh, here we go.
Andrew tugs the highchair toward him while Andrea tries feeding Sean.
Andrea: Excuse me. Andrew, focus on your eating.
Andrew grabs Sean's wrists and starts waving Sean's arm. Sean shouts in protest.
Andrea: OK. I trying to feed Sean. No. I told you not to hit your brother. And now you're on the spot.
Jo: That's it, Mom. He's not listening-- On the Naughty Spot.
Andrea walks Andrew to the kitchen. He sits on the floor by the sink.
Andrew: You're a poo poo head.
Andrea: OK, you let me know when you're ready to get back up here and eat your dinner.
Andrew: I'm ready!
Jo: Don't ask him. Tell him how long he's got to sit there for.
Andrew crawls around with his mouth hanging open, sticking out his tongue.
Andrew: Uh-uh! (In singsong) Look at me!
He peers into the dining area. Not getting any reaction, he runs off in the opposite direction.
Jo: There he goes. Doing what he wants.
Andrew hides under the living room coffee table.
Andrea: Andrew?
Jo: He thinks the Naughty Spot's a game.
Andrea pulls Andrew out from under the coffee table.
Andrea: Andrew, you are on the Naughty Spot.
Andrew: Poo poo, poo poo.
Andrea walks Andrew back to the Naughty Spot. Andrew sits there.
Andrew (yelling): I HATE THAT!
Andrea returns to the kitchen, and kneels in front of Andrew, looking him in the face.
Andrea: Andrew. Are you going to sit at the table and finish your dinner now?
Andrew (yelling her face): YEAH!!
Andrea: OK. Let's go.
Jo: What's this? No apology?
The Westons sit around the coffee table.
Andrea: Andrew, let's play. Let's play drums with Sean.
They all start drumming on the coffee table with their hands. Jo gives a thumbs up.
Jo: Thumbs up, Mom and Dad. Trying to get Andrew to play with baby Sean. Fantastic.
Andrew has thrown himself across the coffee table. He rolls around on the coffee table, not drumming, and seeming to want to prevent everyone from drumming on the table as he covers it with his body. Fred and Andrea try to keep him off the table.
Andrea: Andrew, over here. excuse me. Next time I tell you, you go on the Naughty Spot. (Andrew runs off.) That's it. Next time I have to tell you....(Turns to Sean) Ready? OK. Clap...
Andrew runs from the table, babbling and scampering all over the sofa.
Jo: Oh! Here we go. Andrew's doing exactly what he wants.
Andrea: Hey, Fred, can you play with Sean?
Fred: OK, yeah.
Andrea gets up from the coffee table and heads for Andrew. Andrew runs away. Andrea chases Andrew into the kitchen.
Jo: Cat and mouse...
Andrea: I told you not to mess up the game. And you're not listening.
Andrew (reaching up for a hug): OK, OK...
Andrea ignores his attempted hug and sits him firmly down on the kitchen floor.
Andrea: You're on the Naughty Spot.
Andrea (interview): A lot of kids as they grow up can naturally calm down. But I don't think that will ever be the case with Andrew.
Andrew runs from the Naughty Spot and hides under the dining table. Andrea stops what she's doing in the kitchen and walks grimly toward the dining room.
Andrea (interview): There's just a constant struggle, and behavior that's just worn me down.
Andrea (walking down hallway in search of Andrew): Andrew. Back on the Naughty Spot now.
Andrea emerges from the bedroom, towing Andrew by the hand back to the Naughty Spot in the kitchen.
Andrea (interview): You don't want it to be a war every day.
Andrea (raising her voice): Stay on the Naughty Spot! Do you understand?
Andrew (yelling back): "Stay on the Naughty Spot!"
Andrea: Do you understand?
Andrew (mocking): "Do you understand?"
Andrea walks away.
Jo: Andrew's being aggressive. He's back into control.
Andrea (interview): It's been a tough road.
Andrew walks behind Sean, grabbing him around the belly as Sean tries to crawl away, grunting loudly with the effort. He sits in the living room and throws paper across room as Andrea looks on. He runs through the kitchen. Fred stops him and leads him back to the Naughty Spot.
Andrea (interview): I think it will give Jo a run for her technique.
Andrea: Stay on the spot.
Fred (interview): We need to get our act together so that Sean doesn't become the same way.
Andrew lies on the floor, screaming and crying.
Jo (throwing a hand up in the air): Well, we're back to square one. You guys are missing the small details! I've got to get back there!
Andrew: No, baby poo poo!
Andrea (interview): One of the questions I would ask Jo is just how to handle Andrew on his Naughty Spot.
Andrew continues to scream and roll around on the Naughty Spot. Andrea returns to the spot to find him standing at the spot, kicking the cabinet he was sat against.
Andrea: You know what? Your playtime is ticking away.
Andrea (interview): How much to correct and how much not to correct and what to stay focused on.
The taxi returns to the Weston Family home.
Announcer: Coming up, on Supernanny: Jo returns to set the Westons straight. And to give Andrea and Fred another chance to get things right. When Supernanny returns.
Parent Evaluation
The doorbell rings. Fred and Andrea greet Jo at the front door.
Jo: Hi! How are you?
Andrea: Good. Thank you very much.
Jo: Good to see you all. (Hugs and kisses Andrea, then turns to hug Fred)
Jo (interview): I love the part where I walk in with the DVD because I like the parents to clearly see the mistakes they've made. So that we can fix it.
Fred, Andrea and Jo enter the living room and proceed to the dining room.
Jo: Yeah, I've got some footage I'd like you guys to see. (Fred and Andrea sit down while Jo starts the DVD player.) OK, guys: Take a look.
Andrea: Now you're on the spot.
Andrew: No I didn't...
Andrea: Yes, you did. (Andrew runs away.) Stay on the spot! (Andrea returns to the Naughty Spot.) Do you know why you're on the Naughty Spot?
Andrew: Why?
Andrea: Because your behavior is naughty.
Andrew: What behavior?
Jo: The whole episode is about the details. And the details are that when you give a warning, you must come down to Andrew's level and give him the eye contact. You see here how much taller you are? (Shows footage of Andrea towering over Andrew in the kitchen.) We don't want to make children feel scared of you, or intimidated.
Jo starts the DVD player. Andrea leads Andrew out of his bedroom and back to the Naughty Spot.
Andrew: You're a poo poo head.
Andrea: Sit. Now! Stay on the Naughty Spot! Do you understand?
Andrew: "STAY ON THE NAUGHTY SPOT!"
Andrea: Do you understand?
Andrew: "DO YOU UNDERSTAND?"
Jo: And there, I would have said, "And stop that. Stop that cheek." And then I would have walked away. If he mimics everything that you say once you've got him on the Naughty Spot, you say to him, "Stop that smart-mouthing. Now. That is not acceptable, and I do not like that behavior." And when you walk away, you then ignore the smart-mouth talk that he gives you when says "Poo poo head" or whatever he's saying. Because that's the reason for Andrew to try and engage you back to get his attention. Through verbally communicating with you in that way.
Andrew (on Naughty Spot): AAAAAH! I said that!
Andrea: Andrew. Are you going to sit at the table and finish your dinner now?
Andrew: YEAH!!
Andrea: Let's go.
Jo: Like we start the Naughty Spot technique, we must end it as well, OK? We've got a start and a finish. So, when he's done his time, make sure that when you then relieve him from the Naughty Spot, that you say, "Right. Up you get, now. And I want you to apologize for what you just did." And then hugs and kisses afterwards. All the smaller details is what makes the Naughty Spot technique work. I want you guys to carry on as normal, and what we're gonna do is, we're gonna work on that, Andrea, and anything else that I see that needs enforcing and me going over.
Andrea: All right.
Fred: Great.
Andrea (interview): Since becoming a parent, I think I've used my children's behavior as an excuse for a lack of good parenting technique.
Andrea (as a tear rolls down her face): It doesn't click until someone comes from the outside with what you need to work on. It's gotta get better. I've gotta find a way. I've gotta find a way to make it work. I tried.
Jo: I do believe that you can do it. But you know what? You need to believe.
Andrea: Oh, yeah! I'm excited about it, and it's-- Um, it's a lovely little boy that's gonna grow up to be a successful human being, that is happy, you know? Um, you know, who's very happy in life, but he's not perfectly happy if he doesn't get along with his friends or with your boss, so I just want to see him slowly change over time.
Jo (interview): With Andrea, she's recognized a lot of things about herself that she needs to change for the better. So that she's a lot calmer, so that she can address her children in that same manner.
Reinforcement
Fred: Well, here you go, Andrew!
Andrea: Come on up to the table!
Andrea and Andrew are at the kitchen counter. Andrew sits with a plate of food before him.
Andrea: You want playtime, right? Finish eating.
Jo: Say it in a positive way. "Show Mommy one!"
Andrea (interview): She said, "Be positive." Jo's big on rewarding with words. And I've picked up on that since working with her.
Close up of Andrew's plate. It's just a hot dog. Again. But without the bun.
Andrea: Pick it up. Show me your finger. (Andrew holds up a finger.) One! Good job, Andrew.
Jo: Good boy! That's it.
Andrea: Well done!
Andrea (interview): Dinner's quicker. I've had to be more of an energetic cheerleader, but it seems to pay off.
Andrea: Andrew, share with your brother. That's your brother's toy I bought for him. Can you show him how to do it?
Andrew: Yeah.
Jo: Games like this are very good. You're playing a game where they can both be involved, and at the same time, both children are learning to share your attention to stop sibling rivalry.
Fred sorts memory game cards at the coffee table with Andrew and Molly.
Fred (interview): Andrew's an aggressive kid. It's going to take every ounce of discipline to get him to realize that he's not the center of the world and that other kids want to do other things.
Andrea calls out to Fred, Andrew and others climbing up a grassy hill.
Andrea: Be careful. It's steep!
Andrea (interview): I think slowly, Andrew will learn how to interact with his friends. (Andrew yells triumphantly on the hill.) When Jo came to my home, I was really focused on Andrew. But the reality was, the challenge was with the mother and father.
Fred approaches Andrew in the living Naughty Spot.
Fred: Do you know why you're here? You didn't listen to Daddy, did you?
Andrew: No.
Fred: Next time you listen to Daddy. OK?
Andrew: OK, Dad.
Fred: You can get up. (They hug.)
Andrew: Sorry.
Jo (interview): Andrew's thinking, because Mom and Dad are embracing the small details in the technique, and it's working for them.
Andrea (in singsong, as she picks Andrew up): Time for bed, let me get you water, time for bed. (Lays Andrew down on bed.) Do you want your, um, special pillow?
Jo (to camera): There once was a little boy called Andrew, who used to get up endlessly every nighttime when he was put to bed.
Jo (interview): This evening, Mom said, "Look! Come here!"
Jo follows Andrea to Andrew's room.
Andrea: Listen to him. He snores.
Andrea (interview): What Jo taught me the most, is that fear can stop anyone. It's made me feel there's no such thing as failure as long as you stay positive and stick to it.
Andrew helps Sean take his first baby steps. Sean crows proudly. The family cheers excitedly.
Jo says goodbye
Jo: Andrew! Jo-Jo's going now, can I have hug? Bye bye! (Jo and Andrea hug.) Andrea, take care. (Jo and Fred hug.) Fred!
Fred: Thank you very much for your help.
Jo: I promise, you're more than welcome! Bye, Sean.
Jo (interview): It's hard to leave the Weston Family. They are a family who clearly love their children very much.
Jo (waving goodbye): Well, take care. Good job!
Fred: Goodbye.
Jo: Bye bye! Bye bye!
Andrew: Bye, Jo!
Andrea: Bye, Jo!
Jo (interview): I'm really proud of Andrea and Fred. They've made really positive changes in their family. And that can only be a good thing.
The taxi drives away.
Fred: Bye, Jo! Take care! Bye bye!
Family Update
The Westons take a walk up a steep hill in their neighborhood.
Fred (interview): I'm glad that Jo came and gave us tips and ideas and consistency that, uh, we really lacked.
Andrew rides around the patio on his bicycle.
Andrea (interview): Mealtime in the past week has consisted of Andrew being able to sit at the table, eat a variety of different foods and basically have fun. (Andrew eats happily at the dining table.) What Jo taught my husband and I [sic], it's working. Every night that I walk away from Andrew's bedroom, and that child is sound asleep 20 minutes later, is a night that makes me feel victorious. (Fred and Andrea put Andrew in bed, leave the room, and Andrew stays in bed.) I am a lot more confident now than I was a week ago. A lot more.
Fred and Andrew play basketball in the driveway.
Fred (interview): I think it's definitely changed us, and I think it's changed us for the best.
Andrea (interview): I believe 100 percent what Jo has taught my family. This experience has made me much stronger in the area of parenting. And as a woman as whole, as a mom, definitely. I foresee success in the Weston household.
Closing credits
Andrea: Sit. Quietly.
Andrew shouts at the sight of Fred sitting in the kitchen's Naughty Spot. Andrew laughs uproariously as Fred smiles and starts waving his arms in a mock tantrum.
Andrea: Oh, be nice!