From the makers of Channel 4′s acclaimed series, That’ll Teach ‘Em, this new four part series is for every parent who has ever said “it wasn’t like that when I was young…”

In a unique social history experiment, four modern families turn back the clock for two weeks so that their children can live as their parents did when they were young – without the trappings of modern technology. Tonight’s opening film features the Gregory family from Milton Keynes. Dad, 44-year-old Jon, married to Emma, does not get any respect from his kids, Hannah 12 and Joshua 10. He wants life to be more like the 1970s when he was growing up on a Leeds council estate, when children knew their place.

Jon’s family had no money and he lived in modest conditions, or as Jon puts it, “I grew up in the scraggy arse end of a Leeds council estate…We lived in a terraced house where you couldn’t flush the loo without your neighbour knowing what was going on…There was no grey areas. Dad said jump. We said how high?” When Jon was 11, his mum died. His dad was left to bring up five children on his own. Despite his no-nonsense disciplinarian approach, Jon admired his father.

In contrast, Jon feels his own kids have little, if any, respect for him…”My dad would be turning in his grave if he knew I allowed my kids to give me backchat like they do today, there’d be swift retribution. My kids rule the roost. The hierarchy goes, the kids, Emma, the dog then me …” Jon has done well for himself. His family now live in an eight-bedroom house. Hannah has a serious shopping habit and can wrap her dad around her little finger. Josh is king of the living room. His best friend is the television. Nobody can get near the remote control or his leather throne in front of the set. But all this is about to change as Jon is adamant that his family need to and will learn to appreciate how lucky they really are.

For the next two weeks, they will all live how Jon used to when he was their age, and it is all going to come as quite a shock. For starters Jon lived in a house a fraction of the size. So in order to recreate the similar housing conditions of Jon’s childhood, half of their current, modern family home is cordoned off. The trappings of 21st Century living are going and being replaced by the sort of stuff Jon had as a child.

But the changes aren’t just material. The family structure is being turned on its head. From now on Dad will be in charge. He’ll sit at the head of the table and have his own armchair. Discipline, respect and thrift are the order of the day. And perhaps the hardest shock of all is the fact that the family will have to do a week’s shopping on £36 – the equivalent of what Jon’s dad had to survive on. Jon’s kids have no idea what a budget is – and Hannah has never had to live without regular hand outs from dad or a regular supply of hair mousse!

As expected, Hannah and Joshua hate the new regime, the new lifestyle and the new look to their house. They hate the 1970s camper van, the trips to the allotment, the daily piano practice and of course, they hate the tight budget. But will they come to realise why Jon’s childhood made him the man and dad he is today, and why it never did him any harm?

This show will air on Channel 4 on Tuesday 13 February 2007