Parental Guidance 2023: The 12 new parenting styles under the spotlight
Do you recognise yourself here?
Do you think you fit into a parenting style box? Do you let the kids roam freely or are you a helicopter hovering over their every move? Or perhaps you homeschool, or strictly monitor their lessons tiger-style?
Channel 9’s groundbreaking series, Parental Guidance, is back for a second season which premieres Monday, June 5 at 7.30pm on Channel 9 and 9Now. As before, it shines a light on parenting and the impact of parenting choices like never before.
Hosts, Ally Langdon and Australian parenting expert Dr Justin Coulson put opinionated parents, with diverse parenting methods (outlined below), to the ultimate test.
Faced with more tough challenges that are grounded in real-life scenarios – such as navigating the dark side of online gaming and the internet, posing for the picture-perfect family photo, defending yourself against a bully, or discussing the birds and the bees – the outcomes are authentic, joyful and shocking.
Every Australian parent will be comparing and asking whether their parenting ways are right after watching these families battle it out.
We take a look at the families involved and the styles each of them is representing in the gallery below …
Hosts, Ally Langdon and Australian parenting expert Dr Justin Coulson are back for season 2!
The 12 parenting styles under the spotlight on Parental Guidance season 2…
From Outback to Influencer, Unstructured to Honest, Spiritual to Stage, each parenting style’s strengths and weaknesses are laid bare. Parental Guidance will once again change the conversation around these fundamental parenting issues in Australia.
These outspoken parents will take turns judging each other’s style, tackling controversial approaches to parenting that will divide opinion, cause spirited debate and be very uncomfortable for some.
Kat and Jonathon | Influencer Parenting
Parents: Kat (36) and Jonathan (40)
Children: Latisha (18) Deja (11)
Hometown: Gold Coast, QLD
Kat, a full-time social media influencer, and Jonathan, a mortgage broker, have been together for 16 years, after Kat became a young mother to an abusive ex-boyfriend with Latisha at the age of 17. They prioritise their social media presence and content creation while raising their daughters.
With an anti-strict parenting approach, Kat and Jonathan have few rules, particularly when it comes to screen time. Their focus is on maintaining appropriate behaviour in public, fostering respect, and emphasising communication to be positive influences on their children. Both Jonathan and Kat experienced challenges growing up in strict households due to their South African and Filipino backgrounds, which has shaped their parenting style.
Larissa and Marcus | Gentle Parenting
Parents: Larissa (33) and Marcus (34)
Children: Levi (8) Seanna (6) Amos (4) Caleb (2)
Hometown: Adelaide, SA
Larissa, a stay-at-home mother, and Marcus, the owner of a lawn mowing business, embrace gentle parenting for their high-energy children.
Guided by their Christian faith, Larissa and Marcus approach parenting with calmness and kindness, recognising the need for patience in raising four young children under nine. Despite the inevitable noise that fills their home, they firmly believe in the effectiveness of their parenting style, pointing to their children’s kind and affectionate nature as a testament to its success.
Sammy and Jason | Lighthouse Parenting
Parents: Sammy (41) and Jason (41)
Children: Pepper (10) Jude (6) Rory (3) Lottie (2)
Hometown: Gold Coast, QLD
Sammy, a psychology student, and Jason, a business analyst, made a life-changing decision during the midst of the COVID pandemic by opting for a beachside sea change.
Sammy and Jason embody the concept of lighthouse parenting. Like a lighthouse, they maintain a watchful eye from a distance, granting their children significant independence while ensuring their safety. The older two children are allowed to swim at the beach unaccompanied, with the parents observing from the balcony. Pepper rides her bike to school, and the older kids have the freedom to visit the corner store by themselves.
Tency and David | Outback Parenting
Parents: Tency (32) and David (39)
Children: Vance (10) Wyatt (9) Clancy (7)
Hometown: Mareeba, QLD
Tency, a stunt-double horse rider and business development coordinator, and David, a FIFO worker, embrace a rugged lifestyle as they raise their three adventurous boys on a farm in tropical North Queensland. Their parenting approach allows the boys to engage in activities like shooting guns, riding horses and dirt bikes, and exploring unsupervised, where they learn important lessons through firsthand experiences.
Outback parenting emphasises respect, good manners, and strict consequences for misbehaviour. From a young age, the boys take on responsibilities and face the consequences of their actions, while also enjoying a significant amount of fun and freedom. As soon as they can reach the pedals, the children are allowed to drive cars, fostering independence and practical life skills.
Kat | Honest Parenting
Parent: Kat (49)
Children: Billy (10) Jesse (10) fraternal twins
Hometown: Adelaide, SA
Kat is an educator and single mother who proudly identifies as a Gen X’er. Her parenting style can be described as “no BS – just raw, honest, and straight to the point”.
Kat rebels against the traditional Boomer parenting approach, where many important topics were considered taboo and children were expected to be seen but not heard. Kat also refuses to be the kind of parent that treats their children like a special snowflake.
Kajal and Deepak | Spiritual Parenting
Parents: Kajal (37) and Deepak (45)
Children: Krishna (13) Mridula (7)
Hometown: Sydney, NSW
Deepak, working in change and communications in IT, and Kajal, an early childhood education professional, live with their two children in a multi-generational home of six, including Deepak’s parents. Their lives revolve around a spiritual lifestyle rooted in Hindu traditions, which they have passed on to their children, Krishna and Mridula.
Despite their busy schedules, they prioritise family time. Each evening the Vinod family embark on a spiritual journey, commencing with moments of meditation, chanting, and prayer. They also read spiritual texts and play music. They cherish their cultural tradition of strong inter-generational bonds, so the children are allowed to share the bed with their parents and grandparents.
Sarah and Shane | Stage Parenting
Parents: Sarah (47) and Shane (51)
Children: Alaska (17) Xion (13) River (8)
Hometown: Sydney, NSW
Sarah and Shane reside on a spacious property in the NSW Hawkesbury region. They embrace the notion that “creative people need space”, opting for a neighbour-free environment where they can freely express their “loud and crazy” personalities.
Sarah runs a theatre company and teaches singing, dancing, and acting, while Shane is a drama teacher. Their three children, Alaska, Xion, and River, are accomplished performers in their own right.
Mark and Leanne | Team Parenting
Parents: Mark (46) and Leanne (42)
Children: Matthew (16) Billy (11) Ella (8) Brooklyn (6) Bobbi (4) Baylee (3)
Hometown: Sydney, NSW
One in, all in! Leanne, a teacher’s aide, and Mark, an Aboriginal and social inclusions manager in construction, run their family of six children like a tight-knit footy team. (Mark is the stepfather to Leanne’s eldest son, Matthew). With a deep-rooted love for rugby league, they instill the value of teamwork and unwavering support in their children.
Their parenting philosophy centres on being coaches, utilising repetition, respect, discipline and teamwork as the foundation of their style. They foster a hierarchy among their children, with the eldest assuming the role of captain at any given time. Sports play a significant role in the family’s routine, keeping the kids active and engaged throughout the week.
Philippa and Chris | Slow Parenting
Parents: Philippa (40) and Chris (39)
Children: Peyton (9) Briar (7) Avery (4)
Hometown: Cairns, QLD
Philippa, a women’s health and fitness coach, and Chris, a corporate well-being specialist, prioritise family bonds through the concept of slow parenting.
They value deep connections and cherish experiencing life and nature with their children, embracing a slowed-down lifestyle.
They avoid having an overloaded schedule, allowing the children to be children and encouraging creativity when bored.
Kim and Nick | American parenting
Parents: Kim (51) and Nick (52)
Child: Pia (10)
Hometown: Brisbane, QLD
Kim, a part-time teacher and empowerment educator for girls, and Nick, the vice-president of an international recycling company, embrace the American parenting style, emphasising confidence and reaching for success.
Kim and Nick met and married in Hong Kong, where their daughter Pia was born. Pia started school at the age of two and has since excelled in various activities. She has a busy schedule by her own choice, engaging in public speaking, fluent Chinese, rhythmic gymnastics, cross-country running, and soccer.
Amy and John | Road School Parenting
Parents: Amy (39) and John (39)
Children: Jimmy (12) Gus (10) Skipper (6)
Hometown: Echuca, VIC
Before hitting the road on the adventure of a lifetime, Amy worked in theatre at the local hospital, while John was an operations manager in his brother’s family business. Originally from Echuca, Victoria, the family felt time slipping away so packed up everything they owned, leaving behind society’s expectations, to call their caravan home for 18 months.
Melody and Michael | Unstructured Parenting
Parents: Melody (34) and Michael (37)
Children: Miller (8) Magnolia (4) Maisy (1)
Hometown: Brisbane, QLD
Melody and Michael, professional musicians specialising in Americana music, lead a bohemian lifestyle. As a family, they cherish the joy of playing music together.
Melody and Michael adopt a child-led approach that prioritises mental well-being over conventional measures of success. They actively involve their children in decision-making processes, allowing them to have a say in matters such as bedtimes, routines, and food choices. Rules are flexible and negotiable, granting the children autonomy in deciding what they eat, watch, and how they spend their time. The family opt to sleep together in the same bed, and screen-time restrictions do not exist.
The brand new season will kick off on Monday, June 5 at 7.30pm on Channel 9 and 9Now.
