Meet the Most 'Extreme' Parents Around

Whether you are currently raising children or not, everyone, it seems, has an opinion on parenting. That's probably why Bravo's new reality show Extreme Guide to Parenting is going to be a success with viewers. Every week, Extreme Guide to Parenting will give a glimpse into the unconventional parenting techniques of moms and dads across the country because, as the show's official description states, they think they know better than anyone else. I think we'll let Bravo viewers be the judge of that.

So before the urge to call up your parents and blame them for how screwed up you are overtakes you, let's take a look at what makes these parenting techniques so "extreme," shall we? The Adlers practice "eco-kosher" and "all-natural" eating, which means they only eat "natural foods that come from the earth," in addition to "aromatherapy." The Whitacres are nomads, traveling from place to place and often living in their car or a tent. The matriarch of the Machenberg-Ney family practices "hypno-parenting," which is using hypnosis to discipline children. If these techniques don't sound a little unorthodox to you, you probably grew up with "extreme" parents.

This is reality TV we're talking about here, so of course the families have to be pretty far out to make the cut. How else would we be able to judge them and pretend like we know better? But in actuality, the show aims to educate as much as shock. "We're also trying to open up opportunities for people to learn from parents who do things differently," Extreme Guide to Parenting co-producer Amelia D'Entrone told the New York Daily News.

Indeed, although many of the techniques these families use to raise their children seem pretty crazy, they really are teaching important values that could help them be the best they can be. The Valencia family's "warrior" parenting may sometimes be physically exhausting for the children, but they learn how to be strong and courageous individuals. The mother of the Brooks kids wants her daughters to be well-rounded, excelling in beauty, brains, and leadership. The Young-Mogul parents preach "body positivity" to their child. These are all strong points of view that deviate from traditional parenting, but they could also have a profoundly positive effect on children's lives.

If this show is anything like Showbiz Moms & Dads , Bravo's 2004 reality series about parents trying to make their kids stars, I am so on board. People trying to navigate the crazy world of parenthood, be it for their kids' personal or professional development, will never cease to be entertaining. Why Duncan Nutter hasn't had his own reality show by now, I will never know.

Whether you plan on watching Extreme Guide to Parenting for its schadenfreude potential or to genuinely pick up some parenting tips, I think we could all use a reminder that there's not just one way to successfully raise a child.

Image: Kelsey McNeal/Bravo