Everyone has an opinion on how to be the best parent. But is there actually a right way to raise your child? That’s the question that The Parent Test attempts to answer.
Based on the Australian series Parental Guidance, the unscripted series puts 12 families, with very different parenting styles, through a variety of everyday tests to see whose approach works best.
But what can we expect to see in The Parent Test? When does it air? Is there a trailer? Just take a look below to see the answers to all of these questions and more.
When is next The Parent Test episode?
The final two episodes of The Parent Test are set to premiere as part of a two-hour block on ABC Thursday, February 16, starting at 8 pm ET/PT. Here are the synopses for the final two episodes, where the show renders its verdict on the most effective parenting style:
Episode 9, "It's All About Respect"
"Disciplined, Traditional and Child Led parenting styles take center stage to discuss how respect is instilled in their families. Should parents demand respect or earn it? In the Dress for Success challenge, the kids decide how their parents will dress for a professional photo shoot. And in the A-Maze me challenge, families must face fear and frustration head-on when they are trapped in a seemingly endless maze."
Episode 10, "America's Most Effective Parenting Style"
"The final two challenges of the season tackle some of the biggest obstacles families face today. In the Bullying challenge, we observe how kids react when they see someone else being victimized. And the Joyride challenge will take families to the Disneyland Resort, where we see how the final three parenting styles manage their time and make decisions and compromises to keep everyone happy at the Happiest Place on Earth."
Also check out what else is on TV tonight with WTW's complete US TV listings.
The Parent Test trailer
ABC have indeed released a small trailer for The Parent Test, which gives audiences a tantalizing tease of what’s in store for the parents and the children alike. Unsurprisingly, it promises to be a highly emotional, heartfelt and educational experience. Take a look below to see the first trailer for The Parent Test.
The Parent Test premise
To put it simply, 12 parents allowed The Parent Test's cameras into their homes so that they could film how they looked after their children. Each of these families have a distinctively unique style of parenting. These approaches include helicopter, new-age, intensive, child-led, free-range, strict, negotiation and high achievement.
They were then given various situations to run through. These were chosen to put their parenting styles to the ultimate test and to provoke discussions on the positives and negatives of each approach.
Then, the dozen parents reflect and converse about these tests back in the studio together, all of which is overseen by The Parent Test's host and expert. But who is in charge of The Parent Test?
The Parent Test cast
The Parent Test is hosted by comedian Ali Wentworth, who previously starred in Head Case, Seinfeld, Jerry Maguire and It's Complicated. During a recent interview with Variety, Wentworth said she hopes The Parent Test starts a "national conversation about how we’re raising our kids."
Especially because, in the wake of the pandemic, a number of old ideas about how to be a parent were seemingly discarded, in favor of new techniques.
"Things like screens and social media, where you may have had a rule about it before the pandemic. But then, you wanted your kids to feel connected, so you let them stay on screens much longer than you would have otherwise. I also think the younger generations are experiencing a real mental health crisis that we haven’t even figured out yet, that we haven't even collected the data on it yet."
Wentworth won't be dealing with the parents alone, though. She'll be joined by Dr. Adolph Brown, who is The Parent Test's parenting expert, as well as a master teacher and clinical psychologist.
During the same interview with Variety, Brown, who actually goes by the nickname Doc Brown, insisted that The Parent Test features heart and humor, as well as the dramatics that you expect.
"There was a collective compassion that I saw on the set that every parent wanted to know what was the best style of parenting, even though they were pretty much advocating for their own," teased Brown. "They were open minded and open hearted, to listen to others."
How to watch The Parent Test
The Parent Test airs on ABC. If you have a traditional pay-TV cable subscription, you can watch the show through your local ABC station. You can also watch the show on FuboTV, Hulu with Live TV and YouTube TV.
