The Parent Test - Which Way Is the Right Way? (S1E1)
Families take on the High Dive Challenge and the Yes Day Challenge.
| Runtime (min) | 43 |
|---|---|
| Air Date | 2022-12-15 |
| Genres | Reality, Family |
| Network(s) | ABC |
Storyline
In the series premiere of The Parent Test, twelve families with diverse parenting philosophies come together to participate in challenges designed to reveal how their approaches play out in real-world scenarios. The episode introduces the families and their distinct styles, ranging from strict disciplinarians to free-range advocates, setting the stage for a social experiment that examines modern parenting methods.
The families face two major challenges in this opening episode. The High Dive Challenge tests how parents encourage their children to confront fears and take risks, with kids deciding whether to jump from a high diving board while parents coach from below. The Yes Day Challenge flips typical family dynamics by requiring parents to say yes to their children's requests for an entire day, pushing boundaries and revealing how different families negotiate rules, autonomy, and decision-making. Both challenges expose the strengths and potential pitfalls of each family's parenting approach.
What kids learn
Children watching this episode can observe how different families communicate during moments of challenge and uncertainty. The High Dive Challenge demonstrates that facing fears is a personal journey, and that encouragement can take many forms—some kids respond to enthusiastic cheerleading while others need quiet reassurance. Young viewers see that there's no single "right" way to be brave, and that parents support their children differently based on individual temperament and family values.
The Yes Day Challenge offers lessons about negotiation, respect, and the balance between freedom and responsibility. Kids witness what happens when typical boundaries are removed, learning that unlimited freedom can be both exciting and overwhelming. They see children making decisions about their own day and experiencing the natural consequences of those choices, which can teach critical thinking about wants versus needs.
The episode also introduces the concept that families operate differently, and that diversity in parenting approaches reflects different values, cultures, and beliefs. Children learn that comparing families isn't about finding a winner, but understanding that what works for one household may not work for another.
Parents' top 5 questions
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Is this show judgmental about different parenting styles? | The premiere episode presents twelve families with varying approaches without explicitly declaring one method superior. The challenges are designed to reveal natural consequences of different styles rather than have hosts pass judgment. However, the format inherently invites comparison, so parents should be prepared to discuss with their children that different families have different values and that the show is observational rather than prescriptive. |
| What happens during the High Dive Challenge? | Children are given the opportunity to jump from a high diving board while their parents watch and offer encouragement from poolside. The challenge reveals how different families approach risk-taking, fear, and pressure. Some parents enthusiastically cheer, others offer calm support, and some allow their children to opt out entirely. The segment focuses on the parent-child dynamic during a moment of potential fear rather than whether the child ultimately jumps. |
| How does the Yes Day Challenge work? | Parents must agree to say yes to their children's requests for an entire day, within reasonable safety boundaries. This challenge tests how families handle reversed power dynamics and whether children make responsible choices when given unusual freedom. The segment explores what happens when typical rules and limits are temporarily suspended, revealing both the children's decision-making and the parents' comfort levels with relinquishing control. |
| Will my child ask for a Yes Day after watching this? | It's quite possible, as the concept is appealing to children. Parents might use this as an opportunity to discuss boundaries, special occasions versus everyday rules, and the difference between reality television and real family life. Some families have successfully implemented modified Yes Days with predetermined limits, turning the concept into a occasional tradition rather than a regular expectation that undermines consistent parenting. |
| What age range is appropriate for viewing this episode? | The episode features families with children of various ages and contains no inappropriate content, making it suitable for elementary-aged children and up. Younger children may enjoy watching the challenges but might not fully grasp the parenting-style comparisons. Older children and teens can engage with the deeper questions about autonomy, family rules, and different approaches to raising kids, potentially sparking meaningful family conversations. |
Writing
Directing
| Season # | Episode # | Episode Name |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Families take on the High Dive Challenge and the Yes Day Challenge. |
| 1 | 2 | Families take on the Fine Dining Challenge and the Home Alone Challenge; parents help their kids adapt to unfamiliar situations; the kids are met with an unexpected visitor. |
| 1 | 3 | Strict, high achievement, free range and negotiation parenting styles take front and centre; the parents cope with their own anxiety when they are forced to relinquish control to their kids. |
| 1 | 4 | Strict, high achievement, free range and negotiation parents remain in the hot seat and brave challenges; the families also weigh in on the hot button topic of spanking. |
| 1 | 5 | Disciplined, traditional, child-led and helicopter parents take the spotlight as their families face the equally unnerving Facts of Life and Snake Alert challenges. |
| 1 | 6 | Disciplined, traditional, child-led and helicopter parents take the spotlight as their families face the Unexpected Pick-Up and Driving Me Crazy challenges. |
| 1 | 7 | Intensive, new age and natural families face the Kid in a Candy Store and No Escape Room challenges. |
| 1 | 8 | Strict, high achievement and free-range families return to the hot seat for a new set of challenges that tests the kids' abilities to function without their parents. |
| 1 | 9 | Disciplined, traditional and child-led parenting styles take centre stage; kids decide how their parents dress for a professional photo shoot; families must face fear and frustration when they are trapped in a seemingly endless maze. |
| 1 | 10 | The final two challenges of the season tackle some of the biggest obstacles families face; kids are observed while seeing someone else being bullied; one family takes home the title of the "Most Effective Parenting Style." |
This product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB.