Grounded for Life (ABC Family)

common sense media says

Married... With Children-lite; iffy for kids.


parents & educators say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that while the kids' mother and father are loving and attentive, they often garner laughs with their sarcasm, immaturity, and tales of occasional carelessness. This might turn off adults who want their kids to be exposed to Married... With Children, this show isn't nearly as envelope-pushing as its predecessor, but it still might raise some eyebrows.

Positive messages: The parents aren't much more mature than their teenage kids, offering questionable role models. But the underlying messages is that it's important to maintain family ties because you're always going to need your family to look after you.
Violence: Not applicable.
Sex: The parents and even their eldest child make sexual jokes. The oldest teenage daughter has called her parents "horndogs" and has a sexual relationship with her boyfriend. Strippers and pornography have cropped up from time to time.
Language: Mild: Words like "crap hole" are used.
Consumerism: Not applicable.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: Social drinking.

More on Grounded for Life

What to talk about

Talk to your kids

Families can talk about selflessness. Why is it important to sometimes put what you want on hold in favor of the good of the group? When you're part of a family, why do you sometimes have to give up or do without in favor of something your siblings need? Have teens ever felt like their parents were acting immaturely? How did that make them feel? What did they do?

What's the story?

What's the story?

In GROUNDED FOR LIFE, a young, blue-collar couple struggles to raise their kids while discovering what it means to be good parents and spouses. Donal Logue (ER, The Tao of Steve) stars as Sean Finnerty, who married his wife Claudia (Megyn Price) after she got pregnant in high school. Since they skipped young adulthood and went straight to parenthood, they find they still have much to learn about being a good mom and dad to their three kids: Lily (Lynsey Bartilson), a typically self-absorbed teenager; Jimmy (Griffin Frazen), who, at 13, is discovering life as an adolescent; and Henry (Jake Burbage), the youngest, whose innocence balances out the rest of the family. At the center of the couple's issues is Sean's decision to quit his job as a subway worker so he can open a bar with his brother, Eddie (Kevin Fitzgerald Corrigan). On top of this, the couple has to guide and counsel their kids, who have questions about everything from dating and academics to their place in the family.

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 

Grounded for Life has a gruff exterior -- Sean is often pretty tough and sarcastic with the kids, and both parents take a "tough love" attitude when their brood act up. In one episode, for example, attention-getter Lily complains about how her mother, who has a new baby on the way, isn't cherishing her, and instead of tuning into Lily's needs, Claudia brushes them to the side. But underneath the Married... With Children vibe are some important lessons about loyalty, patience, and familial trust.

TV themes & details

TV Details
TV Rating: TV-14
Network: ABC Family
Cast: Donal Logue, Kevin Corrigan, Megyn Price
Genre: Comedy
Where to watch: ABC Family

This review was written by Lucy Maher
 
 

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What parents & educators say

14

Most useful reviews by all members

ThreeDaysGrace ...
teen, 15 years old
 
The older episodes are better in my opinion. However when Jimmy starts to get older and gets into masturbation, that's funny.

 
First of all, I absolutely love this show, but...
It's not always appropriate for kids. They use such words as a-- and d---, and sometimes they have crude references to sex. I think that over all, it's an okay show for your teens to watch, but definitely not for younger children.

hot babe12345
teen, 17 years old
 
lmao(laughed my ass off) i love its awsome!!!!!!!!
i think it wonderful and its a really good expirience 4 every1 even teenagers its the best show ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i think it should go on forever!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 
i just don't get it
packed with shallow dialogues, ugly cast, nonsense and unpleasant "humours", i don't even understand why the tv network would buy this show...it's too juvenile for adults and too distasteful for kids / teenagers.

 
Perfect for older teenagers and adults
One of my favourite sitcoms. The show is full of sex references and innuendo, the language is moderate, there are alot of drug references and teen drinking, there is not alot of violence.

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ON: Content is appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child, some content may not be right for some kids
OFF: Not age appropriate for kids this age