# Getting Parenting Advice from 1980s TV Sitcoms | Dad University **Creator:** Dad University **Platform:** youtube **Duration:** 9m **Source:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZfqcRiHauE ## Summary The video discusses the top ten 1980s TV shows that offer valuable parenting advice, highlighting how these fictional families provide insights into parenting dynamics and family values. The host, Jason Kreitman, reflects on how watching these shows as an adult reveals deeper lessons about parenting. - **Family Ties**: Highlights the importance of allowing children to find their own way, despite differing views. - **The Cosby Show**: Showcases meaningful conversations between parents and children, addressing real-life challenges. - **Webster**: Focuses on the bond between a loving guardian and a child facing adversity. - **Growing Pains**: Features a psychiatrist dad providing endless parenting advice to his distinctively different children. - **Different Strokes**: Explores empathy and understanding in a diverse family dynamic. - **Full House**: Demonstrates varied parenting styles united by love and communication. - **Roseanne**: Tackles serious topics with humor and honesty in a working-class family setting. - **Who's the Boss**: Examines different parenting approaches within a blended family. - **Happy Days**: Balances logic and emotional connection in parenting. - **Brady Bunch**: Offers life lessons on sibling relationships and conflict resolution. ## Transcript [[0:00]](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZfqcRiHauE&t=0s) I grew up in the 1980s you know it was a magical time the music was like totally cool the fashion was rad and the TV shows were bad that actually meant that they were good there are some classic TV shows that provide some excellent parenting advice you know and while I watch these shows as a kid seeing them now as an adult gives me a completely different perspective on on [[0:30]](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZfqcRiHauE&t=30s) the knowledge that they shared and the family values that a lot of them display so in this video we're going over the top ten 80s TV shows for parenting advice hey guys I'm Jason Kreitman and welcome to another episode of dad University we cover a different dad advice topic every Thursday so be sure to follow us on our social channels subscribe on YouTube and click on that [[1:01]](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZfqcRiHauE&t=61s) notification bell and be sure to join us here live every Tuesday 4 p.m. Pacific 7 p.m. Eastern sure you can get parenting advice from books and you know from friends and family but it is way more entertaining to get advice from fictional sitcom characters so here's our list in no particular order except number 10 is my favorite let's do it number 1 family ties so Alex P Keaton [[1:33]](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZfqcRiHauE&t=93s) the kind of the main character and his two sisters are the children of two very liberal parents there they're essentially hippies and Alex's political views couldn't be more different from his parents while there were many differences these loving parents allowed their kids to find their way they were they were great coaches and mentors to their kids even though they would often disagree number 2 The Cosby Show while [[2:06]](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZfqcRiHauE&t=126s) the real Bill Cosby has had some some legal issues and some moral issues the tea show dad and his wife they were known as the Huxtables really broke through african-american stereotypes that were traditionally seen on TV both of the parents were doctors raising five energetic kids that constantly tested them whether it was you know cheating in school or boyfriend and girlfriend issues there was never a dull moment on [[2:36]](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZfqcRiHauE&t=156s) The Cosby Show well the parents were strict they would have conversations with their kids that were that were deep and meaningful and typically then leading their kids into making their own good decisions number three Webster so Webster was this little boy he was very small and his parents died and as a result he went to go live with his dad's friend George so now the thing about George similar to new parents or new [[3:06]](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZfqcRiHauE&t=186s) dads is that George knew nothing about parenting but what he did have going for him is that he loved that little boy very much you would watch George struggle with a lot of parenting situations that we can all relate to but he loved that child so much that he built a very strong bond with him you know and they would cover topics like bullying or dealing with Webster's friends or a lot of the adversity that Webster had to deal with because of his [[3:38]](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZfqcRiHauE&t=218s) height number four growing pains so the dad dr. Seaver was a psychiatrist and he worked from home so he had a lot of interactions with the kids there was three of them and the oldest child Mike would often get into mischief and these three kids had very distinct personality so it made for excellent television dr. Seaver and his wife Carol seemed to have what was almost like a an endless supply of parenting advice every episode it was [[4:09]](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZfqcRiHauE&t=249s) great number five different strokes so this was interesting you had a single old white rich guy they daughter and a housekeeper who adopted two young black kids from Harlem the dynamics between them was exceptional so the old guy mr. Drummond or mr. D as they called him would often find himself in dilemmas with the two brothers but you know he approached these situations with love and kindness [[4:42]](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZfqcRiHauE&t=282s) and so he would often give them advice he would often be very open with him that he didn't know how to solve every problem but he was there to listen and he was there to try to understand things from their perspective he had a lot of empathy number-6 full house so this one is interesting from a dada perspective in that there was three men in the house watching the kids you had the sports anchor Widow Danny [[5:11]](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZfqcRiHauE&t=311s) and he had three daughters and helping him was his brother-in-law who's a rock musician and his friend who was a comedian and so they had very different parenting techniques but yet they all came from a place of love you would see these three men who were obviously very different come from different perspectives when they were trying to handle situations but the common thread was that they would all talk it out they [[5:43]](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZfqcRiHauE&t=343s) would all have really good communication number-7 roseanne so this show just made the time line as it debuted in 1988 this working-class family the connors would cover some serious topics but they do it with comedy and honesty never to shy away from controversy or voice her opinion Roseanne was the matriarch of the show and along with her husband Dan they raised three kids between sibling [[6:14]](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZfqcRiHauE&t=374s) rivalry dating or common teen issues there was always good valuable parenting advice on this show number eight who's the boss this is a story about a divorced woman Angela who lives with her son her mom the grandmother and she hires a live-in housekeeper who's male who also brings along his daughter Samantha to live with them it might be a little confusing if you've never seen the show but the parenting dynamics are very [[6:46]](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZfqcRiHauE&t=406s) interesting Tony the housekeeper has a way of parenting the mom has her own way of parenting and then of course the grandmother has her own opinions on how the kids should be raised so it makes for excellent television number nine happy days this show aired from 1974 to 1984 it was about the Cunningham family and took place during the 1950s and 60s there was a lot of coming-of-age themes the [[7:18]](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZfqcRiHauE&t=438s) children were in high school and so the parents had to deal with a lot of the situations that revolve around that known as mr. C the father Howard was this you know stereotypical middle America dad who really parented with logic and wisdom which was what was expected but however the mom she dealt with more of the emotion and the connection but together their parenting advice was solid number 10 Brady Bunch [[7:50]](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZfqcRiHauE&t=470s) I know this show actually aired in the 70s but I watched all of the reruns throughout the 80s so I get to put it on the 80s list and it happens to be my favorite show from a parenting advice perspective the husband and wife each had three children when they got married so this was now a family of eight there were life lessons in every episode but they dealt with topics like bullying and friendships and how to treat each other [[8:23]](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZfqcRiHauE&t=503s) there was a lot of great advice on how to get along with other people especially siblings but you know they loved each other they supported each other even though they often got on each other's nerves I've introduced many of these shows now to my children and it's interesting to watch these shows now as an adult because of the insight and the parenting advice that they provide I feel like they're really valuable I'd love to hear from you [[8:52]](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZfqcRiHauE&t=532s) are there any television shows that you feel provide great parenting advice leave your feedback in the comment section below be sure to give this video a thumbs up follow us on our social channels subscribe on YouTube and click on that notification bell also be sure to catch our live show every Tuesday 4 p.m. Pacific 7 p.m. Eastern right here where you're watching this video we thank you for watching and we'll see you next week [Music]