The Phelps Family

Episode summary
Jo travels to Hayden, Alabama to meet Amy (30) and Jimmy Phelps (36) who have 3 boys: 9-year-old Jacob, 5-year-old Brody, and 2-1/2-year old Aiden.

However, with Amy stubbornly defending her right to spank, Jo may have faced one of her toughest challenges yet. Can Jo stop this mother from spanking her kids and can she get both parents on the same page?

Recap
Episode recap with pictures on Wade on Birmingham's blog

Submission reel
Jimmy describes Jacob as being short-tempered and having anger issues, whereas Amy describes Brody as being the most stubborn child in the family. He will get upset if he has to do something that he doesn't want to do. Then, Jimmy describes Aiden as being the most difficult child in the family. He will throw temper tantrums if he doesn’t get his way.

Observation
For discipline, Amy screams at her sons and spanks them. However, Jimmy doesn't like how she disciplines the boys and wants to find an alternative. The boys eat junk food for meals, and Amy doesn't cook for them because she thinks it is “hard to cook and clean up after each meal”. Amy and Jimmy have a lot of disagreements, and Amy said that she feels that she and Jimmy are on different chapters.

Aiden's bed is covered with clothes and because of this, he sleeps with Amy and Jimmy. Amy says that Aiden has slept in her bed with Jimmy ever since he was born. but then, while Jo was talking to Amy, all of a sudden they heard a loud thud. As it turns out Whilst Aiden was Playing with Jacob and Brody he had fallen down The Stairs which if Aiden was Younger possibly could’ve killed him. Amy Luckily comes to his aid and puts an icepack on the bump on Aiden's head until Aiden calmed down. Despite it not even being time for Teaching Jo did have to Give Aiden a lesson when it comes to The Stairs.

Teaching
When teaching begins, Jo gives the family a chart with rules, not only for the boys to follow but also for Amy and Jimmy to follow. Amy and Jimmy come up with rules for the boys, and the boys come up with rules for Amy and Jimmy to follow. When Jo asks the boys for a rule for Amy and Jimmy, 9-year-old Jacob says no spanking, and Jo wrote it on the chart.

Trivia

 * This is the first episode where parents witness an accident.
 * Amy was criticized for being abusive to her children and just like Jennifer from The Bowersock Family defended her right to do Corporal Punishment.

Family Members

 * Amy Phelps, 30
 * Jimmy Phelps, 36
 * Jacob, 9 (Born February 22, 2000)
 * Brody, 5 (Born March 4, 2004)
 * Aiden, 2 (Born October 29, 2006)

Behind The Scenes
This was filmed in April 2009.

Pop Culture
Jacob was wearing a Flapjack shirt at the beginning of the submission reel.