Supernanny – Meet The Chapman Family
** These parents have pissed off a LOT of people – be sure you’re sitting down before proceeding **
While I realize that producers edit and cut film to produce the ‘most’ interesting episode possible, I find it unsettling that the parents of Brittany and Moriah Chapman were likely putting their best foot forward for the cameras they knew were running. This leaves me wondering what life is like when the cameras were packed up and taken home.
Personally, I paid little attention to what actually went on, but more so to the expressions and body actions of the family Jo Jo was visiting.
In all fairness, I believe Nanny Jo had a positive impact on the father, but the show closed leaving an ill feel for the mother. While I can’t put my finger on the problem, there’s definitely something there.
Brittany looked like death warmed over with eye dark and sunken in. Moriah seemed scared to death to make any type of move that was left unvalidated by any other family member. This is no way for a young girl to be raised. She’ll only grow to be dependant on someone else who will tell her what to do and when to do it.
While mom and dad agreed to hire someone to care for the young boys, I would have felt that enrolling the boys in some sort of pre-school or childcare AWAY from home would have been optimal to provide the girls with a much needed break.
I would like to see mom and dad LOCKED in the house with those three youngsters with no license, no car, no job, no money and with no one answering their calls when they’d call for assistance in any way and see how they would respond after a few weeks.
The body language of the mother told a story all it’s own. What I felt I was seeing (and this is ONLY my personal opinion) was this was a woman who was unhappy and seeking any type of escape. Dad was uncontrollable so mom was alternatively becoming a “workaholic” as an excuse to be as far away from home as she could.
Now, I’d like to state for the record that I’m sure Brittnay and Moriah aren’t completely innocent – we all know how teen girls can be! I do think they are being handed far to much responsibility for any young girl.
Where would mom and dad be if the girls left home?
Tags: chapman family, brittnay chapman, moriah chapman, supernanny, jo frost, super nanny, jo jo
Did anyone tape the Chapman episode of Supernanny last night? I missed it and would really like to see it. Please contact me.
I would like to know if the Social Services department in the state where the Chapman’s live was contacted? What I saw on your program looked like child endangerment to both the small children AND the older children. It is the parent’s responsibility to raise the children and not vice-versa. In my state, the Chapman parents would have had their children taken away from them.
Totally agree with Phil, the Social Services Department should get involved. The parents, it seems like, gave up on raising their children. It’s too much responsibility for teenagers to raise one boy, let alone three.
The Chapman Family show was appauling!! The desperate measures these two young girls had to take in order to open the eyes of their parents was heart-breaking…the mother chose to have three boys but left the responsibility up to her daughters because her lazy butt didn’t feel like it!!!! It’s pretty bad when a 17 year old girl with dark circles under her eyes and passes out…the mother needs to wake the heck up and dad needs his butt kicked for being such a hard azz…I do feel he might have woke up alittle but the mother is too lazy to see…the girls need to go to school, have a life outside of raising three boys and LIVE alittle!!!! I watch the Supernanny all the time and have never been so touched by an episode such as this one. I personally wanted to take those two girls away from the parents as they don’t deserve them. I am surprised child welfare hasn’t stepped in on this one…they need to!!! Mom’s job is not a freakin camera, it’s raising the children she gave birth to!! I hope Jo takes random visits to the Chapman family to see if they really changed anything, I think the girls said it best on the show when they said “Mom said it’s going back the way it was when Jo leaves”…I am a single parent with three children and it’s hard for me and I am in my 40’s….I can’t even imagine a 14 and 17 year old CHILD doing what I’m doing…the two girls have LOST their childhood and thanks to lazy mom and unsocialable dad…they will never be able to get that back…that show made me SICK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
About 8 hours have passed after the show and I cannot sleep. I can’t stop thinking about those two nice girls and their ridiculous parents. I am so angry. I wish the social services take those kids from their un-deserving parents. What pissed me off the most was when the dad said, “Look at the chores list…ours goes all the way to the top and the list for the girls is so short!!!” Did you have those kids to enslave and expoit them?
Or when the mother took the son to the bedroom and said that she is throwing the white towel. She can’t handle her own kids and lets her teenage daughters take care of them? THEY didn’t have those babies. YOU had them, selfish woman. The whole show was fake. They did not achieve anything. NEITHER THE DAD NOR THE MOM. It was all for the camera. And after all these comments and after watching the show, I am sure that those parents are going to make thier daughters regret that they called the nanny and made America see the ugly side of thier family.
I am 24 and do not have kids, but I know one thing for sure: parents like that should not be allowed to have kids.
P.S. If anybody ever has an update on this family, could you please, please, please email me. I would like to know what happens to them. Thanks.
As a former public high school teacher, I can say that I was trained to identify child abuse like what I saw on this episode. The children were hungry and did not have anything to eat until mom came home with burgers. That’s enough to remove the kids from the home: lack of food. The show had a responsibility to alert Child Services. Is she really a “super” nanny if she didn’t alert the authorities to the child abuse?
I to would like an update on this family and share all the opinions written thus far. To think this was the edited version of the story. Can you imagine the real truth? Moms and dads can have a career, but balance and working as a team is the key. Mom appears to not care anymore and dad seems blinded and bothered by it all. I do not think anything great has happened since this show was taped. I also got the impression that the parents have grown appart, no hugs, kisses, or hand holding for those two; not even with children. Did anybody notice that dad was not home for dinner hour? It is not only the mom who was boycotting, dad needs to be included.
Update:
I called Child Services of OUTAGAMIE COUNTY
(Office Hours: 920-832-5161). They said they’ve received many calls like mine, reporting neglect and abuse, as witnessed on the show.
Unfortunately, they said they now need people who have had direct contact with the family in order to proceed.
As for Jo and ABC’s responsibility, they were supposed to report the neglect they witnessed, under Wisconsin law. Supernanny went in as a nanny, aka “day care provider.” Plus, the doctor who treated the girl during the episode was also supposed to report the neglect he witnessed.
Simply, the girls called the only adult they knew could help them: a nanny from a TV show. They didn’t know about Child Services, and they didn’t have teachers to talk to.
If you know this family, and have witnessed the neglect firsthand, report them (the number is above).
Good point. I am surprised that the doctor did not report it.
I agree, I was sickened by this episode. I had barely any chores as a teenager – probably too few, but my parents knew that school came first for me. I rarely pray, but will say prayers for this family.
These children are all being neglected in the worst way. I have been reading your comments and decided to do something about it. I sent an email to the local newspaper and TV station to see if it would spark an interest and someone with first-hand knowledge of the abuse will speak up and help these children.
As we speak, hundreds, no thousands of people are intervening on the kids’ behalf. I feel that the situation has been handled, and I can do nothing more because I do not know them personally. But I sure as heck am praying for them!
The daughters made the wrong phone call. They should have called Child Protective Services, instead of Supernanny. This is just sick.
I don’t understand their school situation. What kind of a charter school allows for this? Four hours a day online, with no apparent input or supervision by the parents? I suppose they can legally withdraw the 17-year old from school, but the 14-year old? I’ve always had a bad feeling about the lack of regulation for charter schools and this reinforces it.
This episode of Supernanny was absolutely unbelieveable. I am 16 years old and I know I wouldn’t be able to handle it if life was that demanding. Ever since the show ended all I’ve been thinking about is that family and if all the “changes” we saw were actually valid. I wish they did the hidden camera thing that they did either last season or two seasons ago. That would have been proof. I really hope that, if there isn’t already something being done, Jo keeps in touch with Brittany and Moriah and keeps a close watch on that family.
About the contract that they are under, I don’t really know much about stuff like that but think that just a contract isn’t enough to make them keep things under wraps if there is neglect going on in that household. If I know anything about Jo she wouldn’t let that go.
If anyone hears an update on this family post it on here!!
As the mom of two and the wife of a pediatrician, I wish I could offer the girls a safe haven. I’d take them in tomorrow if I could. The poor children are being abused and the girls, just children themselves, are not healthy. The parents should be ashamed of themselves. Sadly, their behavior on camera was very telling. I didn’t see any sincerity there. My husband and I were really quite upset watching the show and we only hope that local residents step forward and instigate an investigation of child abuse and neglect. The parents need to be held accountable and the children need to be in school and placed in a loving, safe home where they will be properly cared for post haste.
What a sad situation. I really hope this family turns around and makes some serious changes. The parents were using their girls like a daycare and cleaning service. Chores and babysitting are great, but this was an absolute excess. Those girls have way to much put on their shoulders. And it’s sad to know that not only are they suffering, but so are their little brothers. Those tiny children need a mother or child care provider who can stimulate their minds, and meet their emotional needs. The parents need to step up and do their job. Take care of their children.
I feel bad for the kids, they can hardly express an opinion without their mom and dad getting angry and upset. Where’s the love and the patience? These parents act like their the teenagers. They should know better.
This was like a modern day Cinderella story. I sure hope the parents can change. I believe they love their kids, but they need to put that love into action, and start putting their kids first.
If your going to have children, you better put your kids before your career, because they are more important.
It’s good to know so many have stepped up to make sure the proper attention is given to this situation. If nothing else, placing them in the public eye may hold the parents to some level of accountability since they know now that the world is watching.
Why aren’t the girls in school? Why aren’t the boys in daycare? The mother and father obviously don’t care anything about any of their children. This is the scariest thing I have ever seen!! Does anyone believe that Super Nanny accomplished anything? I hardly believe that the family followed Super Nanny’s “rules” once the cameras were gone. The father gives me the creeps! This whole situation is just wrong!!!
This episode made me sick. The situation that the young girls were/are put in is absolutely horrendous. Also, I did not buy into the “family update” at the end of the edisode. That was definitly some of the most forced family fun/happiness I have ever seen! C’mon, there is no way that the Chapman family has or will live happily ever after (as implied) unless Child Services steps in. Frankly, those parents are just idiots in way over their head! Please post further updates on the situation.
I agree with Kadi. My family is a SN family and Jo spends a lot more time with the family than is on TV. Maybe some of it helped. I pray it did.
Also, the schooling situation for the girls is ridiculous. I wish somebody could convince them or their parents to enroll them in public school. The online charter school that they attend is absolute B.S.! I can’t see the future of these girls being very promising unless they get a real education! Again, these parents just make me sick. They obviously do not love their kids as they are making descions for the children based on their personal needs, not in the best interest of the children. If a fourteen year old kid like me can see that something is not right, why can’t the parents seem to realize how they are hurting their daughters.
Editing can make someone look great or horrendous, depending on what they want the public to see. But I do think that more help is needed for them, if they have not changed their ways.
I cried during this show. Something is very wrong in the Chapman home. ‘Dad’ if that is what you could call him is a jerk. ‘Mom’ if that is what you could call her is a cold woman. My husband rarley makes comments regarding programs but this one upset him. He felt as though the parents really had no interest in the girls at all. He felt sorry for the girls.
Girls, if you read this you can come and live with my husband and I. We have three grown girls and they are all moved out. You each can have your own bedroom and your bathroom. You can go to an award winning school district. You will always be welcomed. You can email me at wallymolly5@yahoo.com THIS IS FOR REAL!!!
God bless you!
I cried during this show. Something is very wrong in the Chapman home. ‘Dad’ if that is what you could call him is a jerk. ‘Mom’ if that is what you could call her is a cold woman. My husband rarely makes comments regarding programs but this one upset him. He felt as though the parents really had no interest in the girls at all. He felt sorry for the girls.
Girls, if you read this you can come and live with my husband and I. We have three grown girls and they are all moved out. You each can have your own bedroom and your bathroom. You can go to an award winning school district. You will always be welcomed. You can email me at wallymolly5@yahoo.com THIS IS FOR REAL!!!
God bless you!
I believe that this is the number of the
Chapman family. I thought that some people would want to address the family directly. Please post the feedback that you get.
xxx-xxx-xxxx
** Comment edited to remove phone number. No personal contact information is permitted.**
I’m glad to see so many posts about this episode. I was so distraught watching it and was shocked at what I was seeing. My first question was why these girls were being “homeschooled?” I never heard a reason and could only speculate that the only reason would be so their parents wouldn’t have to pay for childcare for their younger boys. And does taking courses online constitute as homeschooled? With no parental supervision? I think these children need to be taken away from these people…the father was a creep (the way he just stared at Jo when she was sitting down with him and his wife, was un-nerving) and the mother should be ashamed of herself. I hope something positive happens for these kids. They didn’t ask to be born into this situation.
In addition to the obvious problems, both for the girls and the boys, the first thing that struck me was that the 17-year-old has a serious health issue. Those circles under her eyes are a symptom of a serious underlying problem, and she needs to be looked at immediately. If I had to guess, I’d say the source of her health problems is other types of abuses going on behind closed doors. What can we do to help? What is being done? I feel just sick about this.
Pray for them. That is all we can really do as of now.
From what I understand, any one who has firsthand knowledge of the neglect and abuse in this household can alert Child Services in Outagamie County, Wisconsin.
The ABC team needs to notify the authorities b/c they witnessed the neglect and abuse firsthand. The doctor and the ABC crew are the only ones who have come in contact with these poor kids. There are no teachers or other adults involved here.
As for TV contracts, they’re for content purposes. If anyone — the crew, producers, the talent (Supernanny in this case) — witnesses anything illegal during the taping of a segment, they must report it.
As for the homeschooling, new laws are being passed to protect homeschooling parents. Anything goes in the world of homeschooling. … what politician wants to say he or she doesn’t care about parents and children “learning” at home?
Ugh.
About the schooling thing I know a bunch of kids who are cyber-schooled and they seem to be doing fine, I don’t really know much about it though. I’ll look into it…
I know many bright and happy home schooled children. When done right, home schooling can be great way to educate your children. It’s unfortunate that these girls have been neglected — in their schooling and emotional needs.
Despite the difficult home life these girls have, I thought they were very sweet girls. Very sincere, genuine, and loving to their younger siblings. They really deserve parents who can meet their needs. I hope that the parents can change their ways.
These children need to be removed from that horrid home where there is no love, kindness, respect, etc. We can only guess what’s happening there now with the cameras not on. Those girls need professional help to survive the terrible memories these so-called parents have instilled in them. Someone in that town must contact social services before there is an injury or worse! Please follow up for those of us who care deeply what happens to those children.
I felt so, so, sorry for those girls. Especially Brittany, the older one. She looked physically ill with dark circles under her eyes and such a pale complexion. What selfish parents! I am not really understanding why that mom had so many children if she wasn’t up to the challenge of taking care of them. A career can wait. You can only raise your kids once, and you cannot go back and do it over again.
It was a deeply disturbing episode and like you say, the body language spoke volumes. The kids’ dad seemed very cold. I registered at the TV show website forum at supernanny.us.com to get my feelings over to the producers and would suggest everyone else does so as well.
As a 16-year veteran of public schools, I have honestly never seen anything so upsetting.
First, the last time I saw a child that looked as sick as Brittney, she was a few weeks from passing out from not eating for those few weeks. I’m appalled the doctor did not do more.
Second, if a child does not attend my classes, I am duty bound to find out why. If I found out it is due to having to care for younger children, I would have to report to CPS. Even this happened to me a few years ago, and all of the children were removed from the home, and the child thanked me profusely years later.
I’ve been opposed to home schooling for a long time, as it is often used as a vehicle for this sort of abuse. I’ve seen students with spotty attendance records without from school just so that the parents can get out of trouble with the courts (unfortuately I don’t know what happens in those cases, but I”m hoping the judge follows through).
Anyway, I’ve been upset every since. This is no way for any child to live including the young ones.
Like many people here that have already expressed their disgust, anger, and concern for these girls and the lifestyle they are unfairly being given, I would like to say that this episode has moved me in every one of those aspects. I hope that action can be taken to help these girls. I pray for the lives and well being of Brittnay, Moriah, and the boys.
You can write your feelings to ABC through their comment page:
http://abc.go.com/site/contactus.html?lid=ABCCOMGlobalFooter&lpos=CONTACT
I agree wholeheartedly with so many of the comments above. I have written to NBC and told them that viewers need to be updated on Moriah and Brittney and that NBC is obligated to contact child protective services. I hope they will listen to all of us who are appalled at the treatment of these sweet young girls
I agree with many of the comments about the appalling abuse these girls are suffering. I contacted ABC saying that viewers need an update on Brittany and Moriah and that they need to contact Child Protective Services. Hopefully all our letters and comments will have an effect. These girls need to be helped!
Using my elite ninja web searching skills I found the photography company the mother owns.
Feel free to call her for all of your photography needs.
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The Chapmans are in desperate need of help. Watching that show, it was easy to be completely distracted by the girls and their younger brothers. Yet, I think that more could be learned by observing the parents.
Did anyone notice the mother’s sloppy and disheveled appearance? People commented on Brittany’s sickly, pallid complexion, but her mother looked just as ill. I doubt very much that the mother works for her own satisfaction. Her husband’s a customer service representative, a job with a modest income, and he probably can’t provide financial support for 7 people. Mom began her own business hoping to have a flexible schedule and manageable workload (sadly, that’s a myth of self-employment, which is generally much more demanding than a regular job). The mother seemed to be completely despondent defeated by life.
The father was an enigma. He had two faces to show his family — either cold or angry. Even when he tried to be kind to the girls, he had no idea how to begin.
As for the marriage, there was absolutely no warmth or affection between those two people. Even at their best moments, they seemed to be awkward, fumbling strangers.
Mr. and Mrs. Chapman are a couple in crisis, and their children are paying the price.
My wife & I as health care professionals and graduates of the Body Mind College were also appalled at the behavior of these parents. To them their daughters are nothing more than slaves to take care of their younger children.
When two people decide to have children, it is their repsonsibilty to raise them. We raised three children, and while our oldest daughter helped with the younger boys, it was out of her love for them, and never by our orders.
Our first reponse in watching this was the same as so many others. “Please contact the authorities in the county where these slave owners live.” They are not fit parents, and the children should be removed so they can have a life.
What’s so sad, is that they are being treated as underage single mothers, as if they were the ones who had the children, and were now banished from their friends and school to take care of their brood.
Did you see the looks on the parents faces as they left? It was a look of relief, “Ahhh, we’re gone now, let’s go have fun with our jobs and leave our slaves to take care of our children.”
Sorry, if we’re going on, but this is the best and the worst example of reality TV we’ve ever seen.
What do I mean by this?
It’s a big thank you to SuperNanny Jo for revealing to the world just how bad some parents are. I don’t even like to use the word parents with these people, for they are not parents but only the sires of the children.
Please, Please, Authorities step in and moniter this atrocity.
We also agree with so many others including the girls themselves who were sure that things would immediately return to normal when the cameras were turned off.
Jo, keep up the good work, although we don’t know you personally we love you and admire what you are doing, and reccomend to all parents and parents to be to watch and learn from the greatest expert on children we have ever seen.
Update: The local media is responding to everyone’s calls and letters:
http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080104/APC0101/801040599/1979
I didn’t get to see this episode but I really wanted to. I’ve been looking around on the web for a full episode and am unable to find one. If any one knows where I can go to find one that would be much help. Please email me as Sweet32147@aol.com
Lisa,
Regarding the schooling..
And this is from the Home School Legal Defense Association:
http://www.hslda.org/laws/analysis/Wisconsin.pdf
Wisconsin Legal Home Schooling Options:
Option: 1
Legal Option:
Establish and operate a “home-based private educational program”
Attendance:
Must provide “at least 875 hours of instruction each year”
Subjects:
Must provide “a sequentially progressive curriculum of fundamental instruction” in reading, language arts, math, social studies, science and health; such curriculum need not “conflict with the program’s religious doctrines”
Qualifications:
None
Notice:
File a statement of enrollment with the state department of education by October 15 each year
Recordkeeping:
None
Testing:
None
The Chapmans arent that unnormal from alot of families in and from upper wis and upper mich.It comes from years and years of mom having to work outside the home to keep food on the table,dad is gone in the woods,or out of state working.seasonally.The grandparent or aunt raises the older kids,then later the older kids raise the younger ones.Dad doing his thing is never a problem,and mom thinks her life is so hard for her,she has the right to go out and do whatever she wants,leaving the older kids to keep house and raise the younger kids.This causes young men to drink from the pressure,and women who freak out cause they never feel good enough,like the lady who wrote the book why i jumped.OR sit around and say thier bipolar and sleep all the times and dump the house and kids on her husband,which works out great if hes a older kid,cause hes alway mom ,dad. mom husband,and dad drinking buddy.
i missed the show and really would like to see any idea’s where i can get a copy of the episode
kayla,
be glad you didn’t see the show. in hindsight i wouldn’t waste any time, energy or emotions viewing this horribly upseting eposide. enough people watched it and their responses to seeing it should help those poor children. for all of those of you so desperately seeking a viewing maybe you could spend your time praying for the entire family instead. God knows they ALL need it.