Leah and I have become hooked on this show, “Supernanny.” It’s really come at a great time for us, because we can excuse our consumption of this pap as homework, study into the methods of how best to raise an obedient, happy little kid.
Of course we’re really into it for the same reasons everyone else is.
The show’s star, Jo Frost, is a great combination of Julie Andrews, Kelly LeBrock, and Mrs. Doubtfire. She’s stern yet compassionate, forceful yet gentle. And you just love it when she leaves the parents alone with their kids, because you know the kids are going to break every single rule Jo just established, which means Supernanny is going to have to step back in and show the parents what’s what.
Leah and I are still at the stage where we can look at the parents’ foibles and shake our heads in knowing disapproval. But there’s a healthy amount of fear under there, too. Each of us — based on our behavior as children — deserves to have a kid who’s a real handful. At least if there’s anything to this karma stuff. Most of the time we just stare in disbelief as some little boy or girl runs rings around these parents, yelling and screaming and hitting and mocking. It’s enough to chill new parents right down to their marrow.
The producers of the show do a great job of showing the kids as both monsters and cute little angels, as the scene warrants. Here’s hoping our little Ava will be an angel more often than a monster. By that time, Mom should have her supernanny routine down pat; a few trips to the naughty spot will make it perfectly clear that there’s behavior going on that we just do not find asseptibul.