Would you try to get on Supernanny?

Not too many people are trying to get on ABC’s Supernanny tv show, notes the February 10th News OK (Oklahoma). “The parents featured on the show have seen their families spiral so far out of order that they’re willing to try anything to regain control of their children,” it is noted—–one of the mothers currently seeking to appear on the show is Sammi Williams. She’s a single mother working her way through nursing school and has three sons, Dalton, 11, Jesse, 7, and Garrett, 5, two of whom have “severe autism.”

She said it’s not uncommon for her to be reduced to tears in the grocery store or have mealtimes completely waylaid by outbursts.

Williams’ extended family wants to plan a ski trip, but she said that won’t be possible until she gets her children’s behavior under control.

She thinks that Supernanny Jo Frost can help her.

A family with a three-year-old autistic child, the Minyons, appeared on Supernanny back in 2005. Psychologist Lynn Kern Koegel, Ph.D—the co-founder of Autism Research Center at the Graduate School of Education at the University of California, Santa Barbara –appeared on the show. Bonnie Sayers at BellaOnline posted about the show and added this comment:

I read an article in the October issue of L.A.Parent, The Parent Trap: How Living in L.A. Can Feed Parental Anxieties. Dr. Catherine Selden, a clinical and forensic psychologist and consultant to ABC’s Supernanny was quoted, “The show highlights the most extreme cases of parents who’ve lost control of their children, and the household is in complete chaos.” After reading that quote I am more certain that we will not be contacting the Supernanny for assistance in my household!

Further in the article – “For her part, Selden says she spends several hours with each potential Supernanny family, ensuring that the group can be helped – and not harmed – by appearing on the show and to advise the nanny on the issues affecting the family. Afterward, she follows up to see whether the nanny’s techniques stuck.”

I would really like to see a show focusing on “behind the scenes” and how the show is formed from the time they make contact with the family. I think that would be helpful to viewers who are parents like myself.

It’s impossible to know exactly what day to day difficulties other families go through; what parents want to be considered “extreme cases” with a household in “complete chaos”? My son has had his share of difficult and challenging behaviors, but I would not want to have him presented to the public primarily as an incorrigible, problem child—-one of the realities of life with Charlie of late is that his moods have been swinging from highs to lows in a matter of seconds and calm moments are often followed by much less calm ones. One of the most important things I have learned from life with Charlie is that there are no quick and easy solutions, and that there is a lot that he can learn to communicate better and to control his anxieties, little by little.

So we won’t be seeking out Supernanny around here.