Supernanny Jo Frost lashes out at parents who say their children ‘ruined’ their relationship
IT is a phrase she has heard often in the years she has spent helping parents with difficult children.
But supernanny Jo Frost has insisted she doesn’t believe people who claim children have “ruined” their relationship.
She believes that parenthood has only brought to light the relationship problems they already had.
“I honestly don’t believe that children come into the picture and then they make everything worse,” Jo said in a video shared on Facebook.
“They come into the picture and force you to put your shoulder to the wheel, to prioritize what’s important, to get in tune with your partner.
“Because parents say to me, ‘Everything was fine, Jo, until the kids came along and ruined it for us.’
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“And then I think: no, you already had problems.
“Children emphasized what you needed to work on more.
“And if you ignore that, then you get into trouble.
“That leads to a lot of friction and a sense of unhappiness in the relationship.
“And when you have that, it has a domino effect on your parenting.”
Jo added that in the past, when she has been assigned to help a family in trouble, she has spent “hours” talking to the couple about their relationship and helping them with their parenting approaches.
“The obstacles in their own relationship affect the way they raise their children,” she continues.
“That is absolutely not possible, that is the elephant in the room, you cannot ignore it.”
She went on to say that the “immersive therapy” she offers is a “full circle” service.
Jo shared the Reel on Facebook, writing, “Make no mistake, your children are the spiritual growth you need.
“They chose YOU!”
And in the Reel’s comments section, people were quick to weigh in on Jo’s thoughts, with one writing: “She sugarcoats everything. Great words!”
“I always say adding children to your family is like putting a magnifying glass on your life,” added another.
“What’s good gets better, what’s bad gets worse, and what you ignore comes back to haunt you.
Where is Supernanny now?
IT was once one of the most popular shows on TV. But what happened to Supernanny when it was taken off the air – and where is Jo Frost now?
The first episode of Supernanny aired on Channel 4 in 2004 and the first season attracted almost five million viewers.
Former nanny Jo’s down-to-earth approach and stunning results won over viewers, with many keen to try out her tips and tricks in their own lives.
The series aired for five seasons, ending in October 2008.
Supernanny was also adapted for several foreign countries, including America, where Jo was also in charge.
The follow-up program, Jo Frost: Extreme Parental Guidance, ran from February 2010 to August 2012.
Family SOS with Jo Frost aired on the US TLC channel in 2013, while Jo presented the ITV programme Family Matters in 2014.
In 2020, a new 20-episode season of Supernanny aired.
She had applied for the Australian TV show The Parent Jury in 2020, but due to the Covid-19 pandemic she was unable to travel and the show went ahead without her.
Although she has since taken a step back from her television career, Jo continues to help families and shares her parenting advice on various social media pages.
She has also written six books on parenting.
Jo lives in Orange County, California, with her husband and producer Darrin Jackson.
“You either use that opportunity to get your life together, or you blame and traumatize your children.”
“I would love to see some Where Are They Now songs from some of those people on your show!!!” a third admitted.
“How did those children turn out??”
“I know some of those parents are divorced!”
“Children come out innocent, sweet and loving,” wrote someone else.
“So what they become is a product of their parents.”
But others disagreed with what Jo said.
“What nonsense,” someone wrote.
“A good relationship where the children share childcare and go out together is great (I have that).
“It’s clear she doesn’t want children, but she needs to see how petty she is.”
“She doesn’t have any kids, so…” said another.
A third said: “I like her, but it’s weird being a child expert and not having kids.
“As we all know as parents, it’s something you don’t really understand until you have a child.”