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ABC’s ‘The Parent Test’ Looks at Parenting Styles: Interview with Ali Wentworth & Dr. Adolph Brown

ABC's 'The Parent Test' Looks at Parenting Styles

Parenting is hard. It doesn’t come with a manual, and parents are left to turn to friends, family, and even the experts for advice. ABC’s new show, The Parents Test, aims to help parents navigate the difficult currents in a show that brings together parents with different styles of parenting and puts them to the test. The Parent Test airs on ABC on Thursday evenings and is hosted by Ali Wentworth (‘Go Ask Ali’ podcast) and parenting expert Dr. Adolph Brown. I recently had the opportunity to interview The Parent Test hosts Dr. Adolph Brown and Ali Wentworth and discuss the show, parenting styles, and more.

ABC’s ‘The Parent Test’ Looks at Parenting Styles

The Parent Test host Ali Wentworth shares that she is surprised there hasn’t already been a show like this on the air. As a parent herself, Wentworth admits, “I don’t know about you, but all I do is talk about parenting. I call my friends for advice. I Google stuff, which is probably not a good idea. I talked to Doc. So I think that parenting is a universal conversation starter. It doesn’t come with a handbook. I think that so many of us are always looking for information. And here’s a show that lays out parenting styles, and as a viewer, you get to pick and choose the things that work for you. It also provokes all kinds of conversations that we should be having, whether that’s about stranger danger or how much discipline is good discipline. I’m thrilled that this show is being made, and it’s about time.

ABC's 'The Parent Test' Looks at Parenting Styles

So what exactly is The Parent Test about?

The Parent Test will explore the many distinctively different parenting styles. From helicopter to child-led parents, 12 families are put under the microscope in the ultimate parenting stress test and will share learnings about emotional hot-button topics that compare the multiple styles of parenting. The families are put through various situations to foster conversations about how each unit operates. Host Ali Wentworth and parenting expert Dr. Adolph Brown moderate these impassioned conversations amongst parents who may have conflicting opinions on how to raise their families, but they all share the common goal of raising happy, healthy children.

Host and parenting expert Dr. Adolph Brown shares, “I was actually attracted to the show because I felt like it would dispel many stereotypes. We have 12 sets of parents from all walks of life. Looking at the set, it would actually look like a miniature United Nations. Different languages, age, race, religion, gender, economic education, and sexual orientation. So I think if there were a stereotype, it would not necessarily come from the individual parents, but the styles themselves, and what preconceived notions that people would have with those styles.” 

The Parent Test is on ABC Thursdays at 9/8c and available to stream on Hulu the next day.

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