Archive for category Extreme Parental Guidance

Where are they now?

Jo revisits families from season one to see how they’re getting on a year later. First up, Paige, Madison and Bailey. Is Paige still sleeping through the night in her own bed? Has Bailey laid off the video games and tuned into his school work? And, is Madison still competing in the pageants that were financially draining her mum?

To revisit their full stories, see below for the episode info and links.

Madison and Bailey appeared in the second episode of EPG season 1. Click here for their full story.

Paige appeared in the fifth episode of EPG season 1. Click here for her full story.

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Episode Overview:

11-year-old Josh has a tremendous temper. His relationship with his father is so bad, it has become common place to hear him tell his dad, he “hates him.” Josh’s attitude and feelings towards his father are tearing the family apart. Can Jo ease the tentions and rebuild their relationship?

Oliver, age five, has never slept past 6am in his life. On a typical day, he’ll wake at 5am and refuse to stay in his bed or even in his room. Instead, he’ll go down to the kitchen and consume cereal, cookies, and crips one after another. Oliver’s parents have tried everything from leaving a cereal bar and glass of water by his bed, to getting up early and overseeing his habits, but they’re literally exhausted. Will Jo be able to help this family rest easy in the morning?

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Jo’s post-show thoughts:

On Jack, Chloe & Demi

In today’s society it is common to be a part of a blended family. Maria and Scott fundamentally needed to address issues that concerned the children. With Maria pulling back on the reins not common and allowing Scott to enjoy quality time with the kids by himself and with Maria stepping up and prioritizing her family’s values. Both partners learnt how to develop skills that encouraged them as a couple that allowed them to feel heard and supported. As a team they followed through on techniques and gave their children a chance to be heard. The outcome with lasting results?  A more harmonious family. With trust in place.

 

Episode Overview

Jack (age 11), and his siblings Chloe (6), and Demi (4), rule the roost in their house, with their mum and stepdad left arguing over how to best parent the three children. Can Jo help the kids improve their relationship with their stepdad and helo mum and dad get on the same page when it comes to parenting the kids?

Five-year-old Corey is still having toddler-like temper trantrums at home, but is as good as golden when he’s one-on-one with his parents. Exhausted and having tried everything, Corey’s mum and dad reach out to Jo for help.

Then, Jo hits the road to tackle problems from bullying and potty training to picky eaters and new sibling jealously. And, she offers working parents a new strategy to help them give their kids what they need.

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Brothers, six-year-old Tashan and four-year-old Diaan, rule the roost in their family’s home. Their behavior is so bad, in fact, that their mum is on the verge of sending them to boarding school in India. Can Jo help keep this family together and get the boys’ behavior under control?

Grace, age three, has a habit of picking at her face whilst sucking her thumb. Her face-picking has gotten so bad, the doctor believes she will have permanent scars as a result. Grace’s parents have tried nearly everything to break her of the habit. However, when Jo spends time with the family, she believes the solution to Grace’s problem lies within her older sister, Ella.

Jo continues her roadshow providing parents with advice and techniques to help them handle parenting issues. And, after hearing one in three kids spends less time outside than the average prisoner, Jo advises parents and kids on how they can get more active.

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Jo’s post-show thoughts:

On Madison:

With pleas from both parents that their youngest daughter was uncontrollable in her behavior and with a conviction that they had tried everything in order to resolve the problems that were present, I found myself rather confused with not much clarity. Until I realized that both Madison and her sister, Jordan, were caught on the front line and in the middle of a the volatile relationship between their mom and dad.

With no clear boundaries in place between both parents, Madison didn’t know whether they were coming or going. No child wants to see their parents separate, but in the meantime, whilst they are making their minds up, guess who has to get dragged through it?

I feel honored that both girls gave me the opportunity to hear their heartfelt innocent truths. And could only hope that with my help, conveying to their parents the girls’ truths would allow their parents to see what needs to be done. Don’t hold your breath…To be continued…Let’s hope a decision has been made.

 

Episode overview:

Madison, age six, has such loud and furious tantrums they can be heard down the block, which is exactly where her father lives. Madison’s parents are separated, but live a few doors down from each other and have contiunally struggled with Madison’s screaming fits. Can Jo divide herself between both houses to help one little girl?

Six-year-old Layla is afraid of the dark. So afraid, in fact, she will not only not sleep alone, but she also won’t brush her teeth or get ready for school upstairs because she associates it with bedtime. Most nights, Layla ends up sleeping with her parents. Now, Layla’s two-year-old sister, Melissa, is also starting to follow suit. With Layla and Melissa’s mom having to get up during the night to feed their younger brother and everyone having to get up in the morning for work and school, can Jo help this family of five get a good night’s sleep in their own beds?

Then, Jo hits the road to answer one May-December couple’s (he’s 64 and she’s 26) generational parenting questions.

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Jo’s post-show thoughts:
On Max:
Max a spritely but anxious little boy who realized after nine years of eating custard creams, enough was enough. Teaching Max to overcome his fear of swallowing food and removing negative associations around mealtimes, gave me room to work with Max and his mother, Joann, so they could both be happier with the healthier eating habits that were going to be created. Willingness, commitment, and courage were certainly in Max’s rucksack. This has his whole family very proud and elated with how far he has come. Out with the biscuits and in with the meat and two veggies, that’s the way to do it.
On Trenyce:
Single mom Sheryl had almost given up hope. With so many plates to spin, where would she begin? The first step was to de-clutter, on every level of this mom’s environment. This family had practically been begging the institutional services in Great Britain to come and help her but, had received no help at all, finally got room to breath in their home and with healthy food plans in place. Once this was in place, Sheryl was able to take on board what she had been taught to empower herself and her family. She learned how to get the motivation to get out and about with her children, and the communication skills that allowed her to understand, with empathy, her children’s needs.
x-Jo

 

Episode overview:
Max has spent his entire nine years of life subsisting on food like custard creams — he’s never even eaten a hot meal. He’s also had zero energy and lack of concentration in school. Can Jo get him tucking into a stovetop meal and help him get back on the path to success at school?
Seven-year-old Trenyce is being bullied at school. As a result, every day she comes home filled with an anger and sadness she can’t control (and takes it out on her family). Unable to ask for help on her own, Trenyce’s mum turns to Jo for advice and the techniques to help Trenyce control her rage.
Jo takes to the road again to help families cope with everything from sleeping problems and imaginary friends to a young girl who wants to have plastic surgery.
And, how big of a difference can ten minutes of family quality time make? A big one! Jo shows you how with her ongoing campaign for family more time. 

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Jo’s post-show thoughts:

On George:

Who hasn’t walked down the street with a Spiderman or a Tinkerbell? I know I have…But when it gets to a point when your kids don’t want to come out of these clothes then it’s time to put the bat-mobile timer in place. Simple techniques and a heartfelt conversation over a good cup of brew, made George’s mom and dad realize that even superman needed to be Clark Kent sometimes!!!!  x-Jo

On Jack:

When you are little boy who is running around constantly being defiant towards your mother, to the point where it has become accepted to lash out, it is time to call for time out. Nikkie to pull rank as Jack’s mother and put in rules, boundaries and consequences. And the results? Well I think you know answer to that one. x-Jo

 

Episode overview:

Jack, age six, is not a fan of bedtime. The battles have gotten so bad, he’s left his mom, Nikkie, bruised and defeated. In her quest to help bring peace to the home, Jo gets caught in the battlefire. Can she convince mom Nikkie to take charge of her son’s violent behavior?

Five-year-old George is obsessed with superheros. As soon as he gets home from school, George lives in his Batman, Superman, and Spider-Man costumes…going so far as to eat and sleep in them. His fixation is beginning to affect his school work as well. Can Jo’s powers help George shed his superhero disguise?

When Jo hits the road, she answers questions about fears & phobias, attention seekers, and how to handle sore losers.

And, Jo explores the biggest parenting problem of them all: lack of family time. On average, parents spend a mere 49 minutes A DAY with their child. Jo’s going to show families how they can increase that time and connect with each other.

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In the final of the big questions for this series, Jo’s focus is on a serious but hidden threat to the health of the UK’s children – not getting enough sleep. Life is becoming busier and bedtimes are getting later – but what effect is a few hours less sleep really having on our children’s abilities, at school and at home.

Working with the UK’s leading expert in child sleep issues, Dr. Cathy Hill, Jo is going to take over the sleep habits of a group of ten year olds to find out exactly what is the impact of insufficient sleep.

Jo also meets four year old Michael who rules the family roost. He has learnt to play his parents against each other and scream until he gets whatever he wants – but as he prepares to start school is it too late to instill discipline? Jo doesn’t think so.

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Six-year-old Paige has never had a full night’s sleep and since her birth, neither has her mum.

Paige has never slept a full night in her own bed and Mum hasn’t had more than four hours uninterrupted sleep in more than six years! Paige used to insist on getting into Mum’s bed during the night, but now she refuses to even try to sleep in her own bed and will scream and kick until she gets her own way. What can Jo do?

And, taking her lead from the headlines, Jo wants to know who is really to blame for increasing childhood obesity. In a simple but revealing trial, she investigates who should be in charge of your child’s portion sizes.

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Mums and Dads up and down the country all run into occasional battles about what their kids will eat, but for the McLeod family from Nottingham every meal time is a nightmare.

Their seven year old son, Rio, eats virtually nothing apart from bread and butter. His health and development are seriously suffering and normal family life is almost impossible.

Jo also sets out to help the Griffin family from Birmingham deal with a deeply distressing habit.

Three year old Katie-Ann constantly pulls out her hair. She pulls until she has a bald patch and then moves on to another part of her head and starts the process again. At three years old she has short hair like a boy and has never needed a haircut. Her parents have tried everything they can possibly think of to stop this ferocious habit but have hit a brick wall.

Does Jo have the answer?

Continuing her investigations into commonly held parenting beliefs – Jo’s big event demonstrates the link between sugar and hyperactivity. Many parents think that eating sugar makes their children bounce off the walls – but is it scientific fact?

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