Rachael Ray: Rachael's Daytime Talkshow

Jo Frost

Jo Frost
Jo Frost

As she wraps up the fourth season of her hit show Supernanny, Jo Frost explains the one thing she's learned about the parents she tries to help. "They all say, 'Oh, we've tried this technique and it doesn't work.' Actually, when I go through the technique with them, they're missing out steps. They're skipping around because they haven't got the patience or they don't want to follow through or be consistent. It's only then when we got over it again do they say, 'I just need to do this; it needs to be a priority.'"

Though she's used to helping parents get control of their kids, Rachael turns the tables on Jo when several kids in the audience present some issues they're having with their parents:

Brett: "How come when I do bad things, I get in trouble but when my parents do bad things they don't get in trouble?

Jo: "Your parents are responsible for you. They set the margin for what they think is healthy for you. The things that you do that are bad, that's about them teaching you family values. So it's really important, mom, that you lead by example so you are a good role model. You get to Brett's age, and they're going to look at you and see a mirror reflection. It's critical that you're not being hypocritical."

Kylie: "Sometimes I answer the phone and my mom says to tell them that she's not there. Why is it ok for me to lie about that?"

Jo: "First, mom, you need the voice mail message machine to work. And you can't ask your children to be honest with you and have an open conversation with them if actually you're showing them every day examples of how you're slipping. You just can't. Moms should go to the phone and actually pick up and just say 'I can't talk now' -- learn to say no. And I would encourage teaching telephone etiquette -- we do have to be careful when our children are picking up the phone and we don't know who's on the other end."

Allison: "My mom and dad always tell me to eat my vegetables but my dad never eats his. Why is that ok?"

Jo: "Oh, he needs the naughty corner! We explain to our children why it's important for them to have their vegetables, yet again, we don't set a good example. Also, at this age, children sometimes don't like a particular vegetable, and you'll go back again and see that they really don't like that vegetable. And that's fair -- try something else."

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