Unlike many nannies on Facebook nanny groups and Yahoo nanny groups who said they would not watch America's Supernanny because the new host Deborah Tillman is a daycare owner and mother, rather than having experience as working as a nanny, I watched the show.
In this first episode of America's Supernanny I felt it was simply a carbon copy of the original Supernanny with Jo Frost. It followed the exact same format and the "nanny" spent most of her energy time dealing with the parents rather than the out-of-control kids.
The new show lacked as many creative teaching techniques as found in the original Supernanny with Jo Frost. I did feel like it was more scripted. In this first show I didn't feel a connection to Deborah Tillman like I used to feel with Jo Frost. Plus, I feel as if the new host wasn't as emotionally involved with the family as her predecessor. But, this was just the first show highlighting the new host's basic techniques, so I look forward to seeing if she uses more techniques in the shows to follow.
The problems the "nanny" tackled this week were kids that hit, experienced terrible separation anxiety, and an oldest daughter who had low self-esteem (I wasn't actually convinced she had low self-esteem but that Miss Deborah forced those answers from the child).
A common discipline technique used in the daycare centers is a Calm Down Corner when the kids misbehave. Miss Deborah showed the parents how to use a Calm Down Corner when their children misbehaved. When they were calm for three-minutes the parents explain why the child was put in the Calm Down Corner, then the child could apologize and play again. We never actually saw if the parents could use it successfully on their own, but the father worked up a sweat getting the son to sit in the Calm Down Corner (after more than 100 escaped from the corner by the child).
Again a common problem for children in daycare centers is separation anxiety. With a simple hug and a kiss, the distraction of a fun activity, and a quick exist by the parents her strategy of kicking separation anxiety worked.
The host and mother stuck post it notes with positive messages in the oldest daughters bedroom to help her feel better about herself.
Here are America's Supernanny, Deborah Tillman's Rules and Techniques:
America's Supernanny Discipline Rules
• Praise and encourage positive behavior
• Set clear guidelines and expectations
• Implement consistent consequences for choosing negative behavior
• Ask yourself “What lesson am I trying to teach my child?”
America's Supernanny Discipline Techniques
Calm Down Corner: Her fundamental discipline technique is intended for children between two- and eight-years-old. It’s a way to train and teach your child that there are consequences when a house rule is broken.
Lose What You Like: This is her fundamental discipline technique that works for children over eight-years-old. It teaches children that you will lose something that YOU value when a house rule is broken.
America's Supernanny Parenting Rules
• Provide routine and structure for children
• Model the behavior you want
• Cling to consistency
• Follow through
• Be responsible and accountable
What did you think of America's Supernanny? Did you like the show?
