To think Super Nanny Jo Frost has lost the plot?

[Pekoe78]

Assuming she sanctions the views on her social media page. Jo Frost has shared this bizarre scary post claiming that an unclean home is the “number one sign” of child abuse. How is she getting away with such inaccurate information? Surely she knows the difference between abuse and neglect and that actual abuse can happen in any home. If a child is actually suffering from real neglect, simply telling the parents “clean your house” is not going to help a complex situation. So what is she trying to achieve apart from making parents terrified of being accused of something because they are behind with cleaning?!

I love the idea that families that have shit smeared on the walls and trash and food molding on the floor see a post by supernanny and think "hmm..better clean up so they don't find out we neglect our kids"

THIS

That's kind of how I read it too!

I always feel a bit protective of Jo Frost. I worked with vulnerable children. Her programmes made a sea change in the way people talked about their children and accepted that their approach as parents impacted how their children responded. Rather than labelling their children as evil or giving up on them ,parenting courses became mainstream and acceptable. Yes learning has continued and thoughts change but generally there was a positive shift in thinking.

She’s been a nightmare forever really. She has no real qualifications and a lot of her methods are abusive. I don’t know how she gets away with making a career out of it.

This. Neglect is one of the forms of abuse, along with sexual, physical, emotional etc.

Yes of course a severely unsanitary house is an indicator of neglect, that’s common sense. But to claim that there is a “number one” sign of abuse is misleading. There are many different types of abuse and many different indicators, all have equal importance. In this post she is directly addressing parents telling them to clean their house when surely she must know that for families living in squalid conditions, this isn’t going to help. The situation is going to be far more complex and better suited to social services intervention than a tv nanny!

Which of her methods are abusive. It’s YEARS since I’ve seen her on TV and I remember time outs, consistent return to bed etc?

I honestly don't think this woman's opinion on the subject is worth more than anyone else's. But I guess it's a starting point for a discussion.

But neglect is one of the identified forms of abuse. Neglect if a living environment for a child is a sign of a parent who is not coping or doesn't care or does not know about how to live healthily and safely.

I'm not talking about not hoovering for a couple of days.

When she finishes to clean hers she can come to clean mine up to her standard and I will gladly use the time to go to a tea party with my kid. I can't wait to have a nice scone with cream on it! We both love to have sandwiches, scones and a nice conversation.

This. She's a TV personality with no expertise who exploits families to make a living.

She has no serious qualifications or expertise, she's not a parent herself.

I don't know why anyone listens to her.

This is a good point badly made: dirty homes are bad for children, but that level of filth is way beyond average and she doesn't clarify it.

However, I generally find Jo Frost to be absolutely horrible and unwatchable now, so bullying and aggressive. It's not about helping and encouraging struggling families, it's about shaming the parents and making them look inferior to her.

I do think it's important for kids to grow up in a home that is cared for. That doesn't mean pristine. But if parents have signed out from looking after their environment then perhaps she has found that they have signed out from caring for their kids too? Did anyone ask her what she meant?

super nanny just loves to humiliate people

that’s been her tv career and it seeps through in her Instagram messages her self righteousness and bullying ways

no parent who is really struggling is going to read that post and think oh right i better clean our home but some may feel even more shamed

job done for super nanny

awful awful woman

Those who have cause to visit other peoples' homes as part of their job will understand this better than most, because they've seen it with their own eyes.

Agree with this. It's a level of filth and squalor that's far beyond what many people, including messy people, appreciate.

Her post seems misguided to me, though if it gives a wake up call to people who are on their way to living in squalor then that's not a bad thing.

It's possible she wasn't saying this so people will clean their homes, but for other people to notice this as a warning sign of abuse and neglect. Simply to educate people on one of the biggest warning signs.

So much defensiveness on here about this.

I think on mn it's seen as poor parenting to have a clean and "Instagram home." It's always connected here with cold, icy, miserable homes where no child ever laughs.

Messy homes are seen as down to earth and happy.

I don’t know why her opinions hold any weight. I watched an episode of Supernanny, where a young boy with an obvious eating disorder was treated really inappropriately. It was heartbreaking to watch. I still think of him today and hope that he received some help from people with genuine expertise.

I think perhaps she’s talking to people who low level neglect their kids and don’t think sending your kids out in dirty clothes or having a messy dirty chaotic house is neglect or child abuse.

My DM is a messy dirty slob. The house wasn’t ever cleaned unless I did it, which I did almost daily.

she was an emotional abuser, your classic narcissist.

In my case it’s true.

As for dirty homes, there’s a balance, like most things. Absolute squalor is of course neglectful and is often associated with other issues such as poor mental health, addiction… Obsessive cleanliness on the other hand, can also be a mental health issue, and leaves adults with less time to provide other more loving, enriching activities for their children.

Neglect is the child protection plan category with highest percentage of children.

Neglect includes the state of the home as well as things like missing gp appointments, not sending to school, missing health appointments , no food etc etc

I'd say a high percentage of children who suffer abuse is in the form of Neglect. Neglect is abuse.

what about someone who is normally passable in terms of hygiene etc but is maybe suffering from depression post-natal and otherwise? Often with depression you don't feel like cleaning or even getting out of bed? a lot of people once they start treatment probably feel guilty overwhelmed and upset to think people assume they always live in a mess whereas they probably don't