Outnumbered

It's a typically unpredictable day in the rollercoaster of life with three small children; a regal five-year-old girl with a talent for interrogation, a seven-year-old boy who could out-fib Jeffrey Archer, and an eleven-year-old who is gearing up for his scary first day at secondary school. Mom and Dad attempt to raise their kids with the minimum amount of emotional damage for all concerned

The celebration of parental incompetence continues, with the problems piling up for Mom and Dad. Their little girl is outwitting them in negotiations about what she will condescend to eat, and seven-year-old Ben is further developing his extraordinary talent for lying. In addition, Dad has strayed into a job-threatening controversy at school, while Mom is starting a turf war with her sister.

Stuck on the highway, Mom tries to keep the peace in a car containing a new-age Auntie, a bewildered Grandfather, three fractious kids and several full bladders. Later at the urban Farm, discussions about death, heaven, racism, bird flu and granddad lead to raised tempers, which boil over in the living hell that is a gift shop.

Ben's fibbing goes to a whole new level as parents at a school soccer match begin to compliment Dad on his new friendship. A romantic night in for Mom and Dad doesn't go to plan, as Karen has a friend over whose mom is more than an hour late picking her up. As their evening recedes into the distance, Jake expressed his fear about his friend's parents' divorce.

Ben's on the case again - this time he's got a mystery illness and says he is far too ill to go to school. Auntie Angela is dumped by her boyfriend and the family rally round to cheer her up in the best way they know how, sparking off a discussion about Nazis and rat bags. Meanwhile, Dad's problem at the school is becoming public knowledge and he begins to wonder if he might be out of a job.

Five-year-old Karen decides she's had enough of mom's nagging and announces that she's leaving home, for Spain, or possibly Greenland. As the guests arrive for a dinner party, Ben gets his first taste of gin and Mom gets some unwelcome news from Angela. The dinner party becomes a disaster zone - and this time the parents can't blame any of it on the kids.