Viewers of Supernanny were left in tears last night after watching Jo Frost beg a stepfather not to beat his grieving 10-year-old stepson after he lost his biological father in a tragic car crash.
Ralph, 34, and Brittany, 30, from Louisiana, appeared on the E4 show yesterday to enlist the help of Jo as they struggled to cope with their six children lashing out and misbehaving at home.
Britney revealed it had become significantly worse since the death of her ex-husband Archie, who died in a car crash several months before filming, while Ralph explained he often beat his eldest stepson Braylon, ten, as a form of punishment.
Many of those watching were left in tears during the emotional episode, with one commenting: ‘I have never sobbed so much at an episode of #SupernannyUSA before. It HURTS how much I relate to this episode.’
Viewers were left sobbing after watching E4’s Supernanny USA last night as Braylon, ten, from Louisiana, revealed to Jo Frost that his stepfather Ralph, 34, often beat him when he misbehaved
Ralph shocked Jo by showing her the paint sticks which he would beat his misbehaving children with
Another wrote: ‘Catching up on #SupernannyUSA and I’m bawling. @Jo_Frost has this very special way of ‘seeing’ children, even parents, who feel completely unseen or misunderstood.’
Brittany and Ralph revealed they met at church and said it was love at first sight for them both.
But the couple, who have been married for two years, said the devastating tragedy of Brittany’s ex husband’s death was destroying their family.
Brittany was married to Archie for 10 years and shared three children with her ex husband before he was killed in a car crash.
Viewers of Supernanny were left in tears last night over the emotional episode, with many praising Jo for helping the youngsters with their grief
Ralph explained: ‘In the beginning me and Archie really didn’t get a long well.’
But he went on to say that they’d found some common ground before his death, revealing: ‘We were supposed to take Braylon out for his birthday, and he ended up getting killed in a car wreck.’
Since Archie’s death, Braylon, ten, Abree, eight, Adelin, six, Jaci, six, River, two, and Luke, 10-months, had been struggling, with their parents revealing they had issues with lying, bullying and disrespectful behavoour.
An exhausted Brittany told Jo: ‘No matter what we have tried, nothing sticks.’
The grieving youngster collapsed into Jo’s arms, and said he was scared to show his emotion at home in case he upset his stepfather
Jo explained: ‘This family have a lot of challenges but they are also processing grief.’
Ralph said he feared that the children were holding resentment against him because he was the fatherly figure in the home.
But after Jo asked to speak with Braylon one-on-one, she found the little boy was devastated about his father’s death and struggling with his grief.
In one emotional scene, Braylon told Jo that his stepfather ‘comes in and whips him’ when he misbehaves, revealing: ‘He whips me on my legs most of the time. With his hand, or a paint stick.’
The shocked child behavioural expert comforted the ten-year-old as he explained how his stepfather beat him
A shocked Jo held the youngster in her arms as he cried and explained his stepfather had been beating him with his hand, as well as a wooden paddle.
Meanwhile Braylon admitted he was scared of showing how he really felt in the house because he ‘didn’t want to make Ralph sad’.
Jo told the camera: ‘You have to recognise emotionally as a child when they’re grieving can show up in behaviour. Ralph chooses to rule with an iron fist.’
Confronting the parents about their behaviour, Jo asked if could see the wooden paddles used to hit the children.
Later, mother Brittany broke down in tears as she confessed that she was struggling with her children’s behaviour
But Brittany broke down in tears after Jo asked what she thought of her husband beating her son with a stick.
Jo went on to make Ralph promise that he wouldn’t pick up the sticks that evening, saying she wanted to help them in the ‘right way.’
But despite Jo begging Ralph not to hit him, he told Jo that he had hit him with an open palm.
Jo told him: ‘These children need help with the grieving process. You’re being asked to have more patience. Spanking will never, ever be an effective tool.
Meanwhile Jo asked Ralph to promise that he wouldn’t beat the children and would try to find other methods of disciplining them
‘You will never ever build a relationship and foster intimacy and closeness when you choose to hit them. If you are to raise children who are respectful, they have to have respect for themselves first.’
Many of those watching were left sobbing after watching the emotional episode, with one commenting: ‘I cannot cope with this #SuperNanny.
‘All he needed was a hug from someone, the way he sunk into @Supernanny literally shattered my heart.’
One added: ‘Tonight’s episode of #Supernanny got me. Jo doesn’t only work wonders with the kids but she literally changes the parents lives individually. It’s amazing to watch.’
One commented: ‘There is a lot of hurt in this house.’