Mann Family

Mark and Melissa Mann have four young children -- Naomi (5), whom they call the "mistress of mayhem," and triplets Norah, Nathanial and Madeleine (3). Since the triplets' birth, Naomi has come to rule the roost with her defiance, screaming and tantrums, and the chaos spreads to the younger ones. The parents' discipline technique involves telling the children to "trust and obey" while paddling them with a wooden spoon, followed by a hug. But this isn't working at all, as the kids constantly push the boundaries, and Dad says he's "downright desperate." He feels incapable of caring for the kids solo on occasion -- a simple outing to the local beach is a disaster, with the children running off into harm's way, and Mom is stung by angry comments directed at her by Naomi. In addition, getting the kids to bed is a nightmare.