Child-rearing styles come under the microscope on ABC’s ‘The Parent Test’
Any parent will tell you that raising children is an inexact science at best. But a new series on ABC intends to shed light on the matter.
“The Parent Test,” an hourlong unscripted series that premieres Thursday, Dec. 15 (and streams the next day on Hulu), explores the many different styles of parenting, from helicopter parenting to childled, and puts 12 families through various situations to learn where the emotional hot-button issues lie and foster conversations among parents who may have conflicting opinions on child-rearing.
Moderating the discussions are host Ali Wentworth and parenting expert Dr. Adolph Brown, a clinical psychologist and father of eight who likens parenting in some ways to being a manager in a company.
“The first order of being an effective leader is knowing that the people you are leading are not you,” he explains.
“And the same applies to being a great parent – recognizing that your child is not you. So when your child does something that’s the antithesis of your core values, oftentimes we take it personally as opposed to seriously.
“And there’s a difference,” he continues. “When we take things personally, we own it. When we things seriously, we see it from a different vantage point and we can actually help and do something about it.”
Of course, mistakes come with the territory and parents have ample opportunity to learn from failure here. The series also shares best practices and encourages parents at home to do a little self-reflection on their own techniques and perform self-correction if they see fit.