Pitting parents against each other to deduce the most effective parenting style, Parental Guidance has already proven to be both a hit and a useful tool for parents and guardians nationwide.
Move over Married at First Sight, Australia’s new favourite ‘social experiment’ reality show is here!
With a cast of couples whose techniques range from helicopter and attachment-style caregiving, to tough-love and tiger parents, the show has been filled with plenty of wholesome moments and serious life lessons so far.
So, let’s meet the incredible parents taking part in the experiment (and their totally adorable kids)!
Andrew and Miriam: Strict Parents
Having both grown up in strict country households, Andrew and Miriam decided to take the same disciplined approach in raising their own three children, Luke (12), Grace (10), and Tim (5).
Andrew is a Christian Pastor, and Miriam works part time whilst taking on the primary care-giver role.
The entire family have a strong Christian faith and uphold very traditional gender roles in their home.
They have maintained that their parent-led household is an environment that will prepare their children to continually abide by rules throughout their lives.
Liadhan and Richard: Nature Parents
Liadhan and Richard are nature-based parents who share five children, but also have two and five children respectively from previous relationships.
The couple both raised their older children with strict parenting styles, but are now starkly against the method, which has made for some slightly awkward convos with Andrew and Miriam on the show so far!
They now practice nature-based parenting, which involves cooking and playing outside with their five kids Miriam (12), Hannah (11), Esther (9), Eva (7), Danny (5) to ensure they grow up with a strong connection to and respect for the Earth.
Brett and Tony: Routine Parents
Everyone’s instant faves, primary school teacher Brett and social worker Tony, live by a regimented routine.
The couple share four children, two sets of twins, who were all born on the same day! They refer to Ajay (9), Gyan (9), Taz (9), Jagan (9) as quads.
The pair expressed that they have to live by a routine “in order to survive,” and with four kids, who can blame them!
The formulaic technique still leaves plenty of room for love however, and the couple have been regularly praised for the TLC they show their boys.
Yann and Donna: French Parents
Project manager Yann and general manager Donna take an approach they have dubbed ‘Nouveau French’ in parenting their daughter Harper (7).
Yann, who is French Algerian, was raised under a Classic French parenting style, while Donna’s parents took on the Tiger style. She says she now finds Tiger Parenting very triggering.
Their Nouveau French style is an adaptation of classic French parenting, with more affection and love as opposed to strict rules.
When we were seven we were eating Maccas and obsessing over Tamagotchis, but Luke and Donna’s parenting style has moulded Harper to be incredibly mature, and she enjoys eating oysters and fine-dining!
Lara and Andrew: Attachment Parents
Lara and Andrew are both a part of the performing arts world. Lara is a former dancer, dance teacher, and dance journalist, but is now a stay-at-home mum, whilst Andrew is a performing arts physio.
They are raising their two kids Raphael (7), Chaya (5) within a ‘circle of security’ using attachment-style parenting.
They love to encourage their children’s creativity and boast a home full of love, affection, and performing!
Kevin and Debbie: Tiger Parents
Tiger parents Kevin and Debbie met in Australia after moving over from Taiwan as teenagers.
They adopted the Tiger approach as that was how Debbie’s mum parented her, and she wanted to give her children the same sense of support she felt growing up.
They told the panel that they believe themselves to be on the more moderate end of the Tiger parent spectrum, giving their children Mimi (12), Leo (10) plenty of love and affection in addition to traditional Tiger methods.
Kevin works in tech and Debbie quit her job last year to assist Mimi in preparing for her high school scholarship exams.
Deb: Home-School Parent
Deb home-schools all six of her children, Jess (16), AJ (15), Ty (13), Cooper (11), Fletcher (9), Lulu (7).
She believes that home-schooling allows more time for the kids to enjoy the world outside of school as they are only in class for two hours a day.
Taking on the parent-slash-teacher role means she feels more bonded to her children and doesn’t have to worry about unwanted external influence from teachers.
Deb says that despite not going to a physical school her kids are still well-rounded and extremely social.
Rachel and Sam: Helicopter Parents
Podcasting power couple Rachel and Sam take a full-on helicopter approach in parenting their daughters Gracie (7), Ellsie (5).
Rachel hosts a parenting podcast Am I A Bad Mum? And is also a personal trainer. Sam is a former-NRL player and has a podcast of his own, We Are Human, discusses and seeks to normalise mental health issues in elite athletes.
I mean, who doesn’t love a podcast!
Penny and Daniel: Free Range Parents
Penny and Daniel are free-range parents and abide by the “it takes a village” rhetoric in raising their three kids Sebastian (9), Julian (6), Zahra (2) as they say they will forget things and work with other parents to help each other out.
Penny was raised under free-range parents, whereas Daniel’s were strict and gave him little opportunity for adventure. Daniel says his parents feared for his safety, having uprooted their lives in Beirut to move to Australia.
Rob and Sioux: Disciplined Parents
Teachers Rob and Sioux live a very active lifestyle, having built a home gym and encouraging their sons Hudson (9), Fletcher (7) to play sport. Rob and the boys play cricket together every day.
The couple believe that disciplinary parenting is the most effective method as the real world is not void of consequences. They set the rules in the house and what they say goes.
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