Angela and Forrest An-Duan have their kids completely overscheduled with over 40 activities a week for the five young children: Christopher, 9; Isabella, 7; twins Lawrence and Benjamin, 6; and Charlotte, 4. The parents feel that they're helping their kids by exposing them to so many lessons -- Chinese, chess, art, piano, tutoring, violin, tennis, Scouts, math class, music appreciation, writer's workshops and more -- but instead everyone is exhausted and stressed out. Often Mom resorts to having the kids eat dinner in the car, and the children don't get to bed until 10:00 p.m., when they've finally finished their homework. The three boys rebel by hitting, punching, kicking, spitting, pulling hair, talking back and picking on their sisters; discipline is non-existent, and the oldest child, Christopher, is in a power struggle with Mom. The parents are so overwhelmed that they've delayed moving into the beautiful new home they finished building six months ago!

Supernanny Jo Frost travels to Hawaii to help Will and Michelle Smith -- they are highly intelligent marine biologists, but when it comes to bringing up their two boys, they're clueless. Three-year-old Nate is still in diapers, and 18-month-old Ari screams at the top of his lungs to get his bottle. Bedtime is a nightmare, as Dad hypes the boys up with a frog-hunting outing right before they're supposed to be going to bed, leaving both parents exhausted and up for hours with the two energetic boys. Will and Michelle foster a house full of high energy and crazy fun, but all their singing and dancing (including the "pee-pee dance") can't tame the kids -- they freely admit the children are totally in charge. The parents have read the books, talked to experts and still can't figure out a way to control their toddlers. Without mastering even the basics of discipline, they worry that, if they can't cope with their children now, they'll never cope with their boisterous boys in the future.

Brian McAfee is a newly-divorced father of four children living a lonely, isolated life in Alaska. Brokenhearted and bewildered, Brian has shut himself off from the world and even his own children in many ways. He doesn't know any of his neighbors or his kids' teachers. He's uncomfortable doing girly things with his daughters, which has left a big gap in their relationship with him, especially for the oldest, Ellie (9). Brian's also baffled by his son's troubles with schoolwork, their house is a disaster, and all four kids have serious behavior problems because there's no discipline at home.

Parents Shawn and Tammy Orm have lost control of their three sons. Eight-year-old Chandler talks back to his parents, six-year-old Caden has a nasty habit of beating up his younger brother, and three-year-old Declan is quickly learning to emulate his older brothers' bad behavior. Stay-at-home mom Tammy is a softie and refuses to discipline her boys. Video technician Shawn takes a tougher approach, often yelling at his sons, but that doesn't curb their naughtiness either.

Stacie and Joe Fager are the proud parents of a blended family in Iowa, but with six children, they both feel overwhelmed and exhausted. There's Sarah (8) and Andrew (7), brother and sister from Joe's first marriage; Chelsea (6), Stacie's daughter from her first marriage; and Benjamin & Zachary (4-year old twins), plus Jacob (2), who are Stacie and Joe's children together. Joe is a truck driver and full-time student, and he's gone most of the week. Stacie, a stay-at-home mom, has a hard time controlling the children, so she hardly ever leaves home with the kids in tow, and family vacations are a rarity. The older kids, Sarah and Andrew, haven't seen or spoken to their birth mother in a year, and with Joe's busy schedule, they feel as if they don't have anyone to talk to about those feelings. The family desperately needs a break and something to lift their spirits.

John and Denise Bruno have their hands full with their four girls. Dad's got issues with the two teenagers, Mariah (15) and Taylor (13), while Mom's fed up with the two youngest, Bella (6) and Sam (4). Mariah was born with fairly severe cerebral palsy and gets daily physical therapy from Mom, but she has no physical contact with Dad, as he no longer helps her out with her therapy. Mariah craves her dad's affection. John, a very traditional dad, doesn't approve of teen Taylor's punk-goth style and strong-will; they are constantly butting heads. The most difficult part of the day for Denise is when she's trying to do therapy with Mariah and the little ones interrupt and distract them. The girls' tantrums and demands have driven Denise to the end of her rope. Jo's faced with the challenge of saving Dad's relationships with the two oldest girls, especially Taylor, before they're too far gone, and getting Denise to demand respect from the little ones and keep them from interfering with her therapy time with Mariah.

Karolee and Jay Goins have a beautiful young family with a not-so-pretty problem. Mom, who is pregnant with her fourth child, is completely exhausted by her brood's out-of-control behavior: The oldest son, Khalin, 7, has attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), the middle child, Kolben, 5, is overly aggressive, and little Kadance, 2, is learning all of her big brothers' worst tricks. The kids' aggression and utter lack of respect, coupled with Dad acting like another child in this family, has Karolee frustrated and fed up.

Meet the Schumachers, the ultimate 21st century American family -- hard-working parents who strive to give their beautiful children everything--everything, that is, except boundaries, responsibilities and goals. So, instead of gratitude, the kids have attitude, in abundance. The oldest, Jessica (14), belittles her parents for not giving her more expensive things and having a bigger home (their house is quite sizable, but she calls it "a dump"); Alexi (11) is constantly online with a social networking site, pretending to be older and chatting with strangers. Dylan (7) is bored, so he amuses himself by cursing, obscene gestures, hitting, spitting, kicking and punching. Parents Teri and Brian can't understand why their kids treat them like servants and complain so much.

Jo tries to help a married couple in Illinois with five children, including an openly defiant teen and a 4-year-old with separation anxiety.

Traveling to a secluded island off Seattle, Jo meets Rikki and Jenye Young, who forego discipline in a misguided attempt to compensate for uprooting their three young sons so often. After four moves just this year due to Rikki's sales work, Nicco, 6, Makai, 4, and Crew, 21 months, are out of control -- and Rikki and Jenye are at their wits' end. The boys run wild in and out of the house, and sometimes their safety seems in jeopardy. Rikki can't sleep because little Crew consistently wants in his parents' bed. And when Dad occasionally tries to inject some discipline into the boys' lives, the result is explosive tantrums. To make matters worse, Mom's first instinct is to comfort her children, not to stand firm with her husband. With a fifth move looming, Rikki and Jenye increasingly worry about the long-term effects of the family frenzy on their sons' lives.

Insurance salesman Fred Weston and his wife, Andrea, a homemaker and schoolteacher, are a loving, hardworking family with a big problem - a ferocious four-year-old named Andrew. Little Andrew rules the Weston house, and it's a reign of terror. He topples lawn furniture, calls his mother "Poo-poo" and bullies his eleven-month-old brother, Sean, in countless ways. Well-intentioned Fred and Andrea find themselves at their limit. They acknowledge that their tactics have been futile, but how to break the cycle and regain control?

Deirdre and Trae Facente don't know how to integrate their autistic son, Tristin, into their daily life with their twins, Kayla and Marlana (4). Tristin is completely non-verbal, caught up in his own world of spinning, jumping, swinging and, often, taking off his clothes. The parents are at a loss as to how to help Tristin come out of his zone and join the family. Supernanny teams with world-renowned autism expert Dr. Lynn Koegel to teach all the Facentes inclusion and communication techniques to help engage Tristin.

While Marine Major Chris Merrill is stationed overseas for a year in Afghanistan, Mom Beckie, 33, is fighting another battle on the home front with their four young children. Garrett , 4 and Elena, 4, are cousins they adopted from Guatemala; Eddie, 6 and Lydia, 4, were adopted just three months ago from Ghana. Beckie tries to balance her desire for attachment with all the children with the firmness required to discipline them. Eddie and Lydia, the newest family members, grapple with frustration over still learning the English language and a great fear of the dark, since in Ghana there were real-life fears of violence at nighttime in their community. All the children feel free to run outside at will and ignore Mom, bedtime is fraught with turmoil, and mealtimes can be a battle zone. Compounding these challenges is the fact that Mom, at times, feels overwhelmed, outnumbered and at her limit, and very much on her own while her husband is away.

John and Melora Wischmeyer are a hard-working couple with three children. John works long hours as a civil engineer, and Melora took a marketing job where she could work at home to enjoy time with her children. However, the time spent is anything but enjoyable. Their four-year-old twin daughters, Alaia and Ashlyn, do everything in their power to control their parents. During the day, Alaia hits, screams and is downright defiant. Any discipline Melora tries to dish out, Alaia simply ignores. When nighttime arrives, it's Ashlyn's turn to act up. She adamantly resists bedtime and repeatedly runs out of her room, throwing things and having wild tantrums. Complicating the issue is nine-year-old son Jared, a quiet, smart boy who often is punished for his sisters' misbehavior and is becoming increasingly frustrated by this situation.

With four kids under four, this Supermom needs Supernanny. While she's a funny character for outsiders to laugh at, three-year-old daughter Hailey's antics aren't humorous for her mom, Tamara. From using the "B" word to hitting Mom and Dad, Hailey, as "Daddy's Little Princess," thinks she's the one running the show. Adding to the chaos are twins, Jianni and Julian (age 2), with an escape plan cleverly executed every time Mom turns her back. These two get out of the house every chance they get, even getting past the child-proof latch. Rounding out the fearless foursome is baby Ashton (10 months), who gets kicked in the stomach and punched by jealous older brother Jianni. Capping it off, Dad Michael is out late every night with friends, avoiding his responsibility at home.

Vicki and Aaron Newton are separated, with joint custody of their two sons, Aaron (12) and Kobe (5). Though the boys are angels for Dad, young Kobe saves his worst behavior for Mom. He is violent and destructive -- hitting, kicking, slapping, punching and swearing. He even throws rocks at Jo's head. Aaron isn't physically aggressive, but he does talk back to his mother. For the first time, Jo Frost observes life in two homes to hone her recommendations for each parent. But can she get them to collaborate on their child-rearing techniques?

With five rambunctious boys in a small house, Ken and Vania have reached the end of their rope -- and possibly the end of their marriage. Vania has filed divorce papers and Jo Frost is the family's last hope for reconciliation -- if this doesn't work, Vania will move forward with the divorce. Ken is a strict disciplinarian, while Vania prefers a more laid-back method of child rearing. Rather than compromising, they've gotten to the point where they simply avoid dealing with the kids at the same time -- if one parent is there, the other is out -- and the kids have learned to use them against each other as they act up, fighting with each other and for their parents' attention. Matters are further complicated by Ken's relationship with the older boys; the little ones, Brendon (4) and Christian (3), are his and Vania's together, while Myca (5), Dawson (8) and Alex (9) are from Vania's previous relationships. Ken's biggest issue is with Alex, the oldest son, with whom he often clashes. The difference in parenting styles and the problems between Alex and Ken have brought this marriage to the breaking point -- can Supernanny get this couple back on track?

Little Sean, at just four years old, is the dictator of the Haines household, and every family member bows to his whims. He has more power than he knows what do with, and crying, whining, hitting, spitting, punching, kicking and biting seem to be his preferred methods of communication. Dad Shane is a tough police officer on the job, but he has no authority at home, and Mom Suzanne, an ER nurse, claims that giving in is easier than fighting. Big brother Seth (10) has grown resentful because Sean gets the majority of his parents' attention, so Seth antagonizes Sean to get some attention of his own. Mom and Dad's passivity when it comes to discipline has enabled the boys to spiral out of control, often out of sheer boredom and restlessness.

“We’re at a total loss,’ says mom Gina Quinn, who’s having to control four out-of-control tweens and teens who swear like sailors, refuse to do their chores and are verbally aggressive with mom and with dad David, who just laughs at the kids’ antics…

Nicole and Nate Beck are classic tag-team parents. Nate works full-time and Nicole stays at home, works part-time AND is a full-time student. Add to the mix three boys -- Hunter, 9; Pierson, 5; and Bronson, 3 -- who offer huge challenges. The youngest has just been expelled from pre-k, spits at Mom and calls Supernanny a curse word; the oldest has attention-deficit disorder, and homework time hangs like a black cloud over each day as the yelling just escalates; and the middle son is extremely stubborn and contradictory.

Bill and Stacie Bailey have demanding jobs and an even more demanding family. Bill is a police officer, and Stacie teaches at the local elementary school. But when they return from long days on the job, the real work begins - raising Billy and Jadyn, ages two and six. "Billy can be very sweet - then there's the devil," says Stacie referring to her son's epic tantrums. Daughter Jadyn, according to Stacie, is "already hitting the moodiness of puberty," plus the youngster has a major sleeping problem. She sleeps everywhere but her own bed, preferring her parents' room or even the hallway floor! Will Bill be able to police his children's behavior? How can educator Stacie teach her children respect and discipline?

Brenda and Bill Dostal think that the problem is with their misbehaving son, but Jo quickly realizes he's just acting out due to Mom and Dad's problems. Five-year-old Zachary literally chases Mom around the house trying to claw her when she attempts the timeout technique. Her arms are bloody after his attacks! His little sister Erin, 3, is overshadowed by Zachary's outrageous behavior. Bill blames Brenda for not controlling Zachary, and Brenda doesn't trust Bill to curb his own temper when dealing with the children. As a result, communication between the parents has shut down, and Zachary is so naughty that play dates are fraught with trouble. Brenda fears her marriage may not last if they don't get help.

The Doyle children all attend a daycare where Lizzie (three) has a record of complaints from other kids and parents that's got her on the brink of being kicked out of the pre-school. Five-year-old Sara is busy cutting her own hair with her mom's sewing kit, and young Andrew (18 months) is developing his own attitude based on his two sisters' bad behavior. Jo will have a chance to take her skills into the classroom to help Brandy and Dwight Doyle get their children to be more respectful out in public as well as at home.

A trip to Kissimmee, Florida, is no vacation for Supernanny Jo Frost as she finds the Fernandez family falling apart. Former high school sweethearts Jerald and Marla married young and now, years later, their relationship is in trouble. That's largely due to their inability to control their defiant 12-year-old daughter, Desiree, and two overly aggressive sons, Elias, 5, and Eulisis, 3. Mom's completely exhausted from trying to do it all, while Dad's frustrated and often unwilling to step up to the plate. Meanwhile, Desiree's developing a bad attitude and her grades are plummeting. And Elias and Eulisis are learning the wrong lessons -- that kicking, screaming and crying pay off to get what they want.

Scott and Jennifer Ririe have their hands full with their four children -- daughter Selia (9) and sons Hallden (7), Blake (3), and Broden(1). Scott and Jennifer have two completely different outlooks on how their children should be parented. By far their most troublesome child is the reckless and defiant Blake. Every time Jennifer looks away, he makes a beeline for the front to play with a neighbor friend. In public, he refuses to stay with her and runs off constantly; and when she chases after him, she leaves her other children unattended. While Jennifer is fearful for Blake's safety, Scott doesn't have a problem with this situation, often laughing it off. The parents also disagree about their children's eating habits.