The Maucione Family

**The Maucione Family** is the fourth episode of Season 2 of Nanny 911

## Episode summary

Nanny Yvonne visits the Maucione family in New York, Michael and Dawn (33) are struggling to raise their 3 young children: 5-year-old Mikey, and 3-year-old twin girls Alexandra & Amanda.

Dad, Michael is brash, manipulative, selfish and lazy, while mom Dawn is so frustrated and angry that she terribly lost control and snaps over everything. As a result of their differences, the parents’ disagreements turn into screaming matches in front of the kids and the kids are picking up their behavior.

Amanda and Alexandra are allowed by their parents to get away with their behavior regardless of them yelled at. The girls are 3 going on 13 with their attitudes. Additionally they fight for their parents’ attention. Additionally they would throw fits when they get upset. Bedtime is a uphill battle as the girls demand snacks and cause a ruckus while the parents argue with them.

Meanwhile Mikey doesn't act out as much as the twins and the parents are much harder on him. This causes Mikey to resort to lying when he does something wrong or makes a mistake to try to avoid his parents going ballistic on him.

Can Nanny Yvonne help these parents restore peace in this hostile environment.

## Recap

### Cry For Help

Meet the Mauciones, mom Dawn & dad Michael and their three children, Mikey 5, and twin girls Alexandra and Amanda who are 3. Dawn is a medical biller and comes home in the afternoon while Michael works night shifts.

They talk about the issues with their kids such as Mikey’s habit of lying to his parents and the twins’ 3 going on 13 and rambunctious behavior.

Dawn feels that her husband is like a fourth child with his selfish behavior. Michael feels that his kids are the reasons why he cannot do the things he’s passionate about such as skiing and motorcycling . Dawn feels exhausted and overwhelmed. Her patience is wearing thing which causes her to get upset over everything. As a result of the parents’ disagreements , turn into screaming matches. Dawn is nervous that her family will fall apart.

### Observation

As soon as Yvonne meets the family Dawn is off to work leaving Michael and the kids. Michael takes the girls outside while Mikey is left inside. Mikey decides to watch TV. When the girls and Michael come back inside Michael wants to watch the game, while Mikey was in the middle of watching his show. Mikey hardly did much to deserve punishment despite feeling upset about it, and Michael put in him in the corner demanding him to “man up”.

Yvonne observes how immature Michael is. It is good Michael plays with the kids and the pets. However during lunch Michael complains about the children being too rowdy. He then puts cotton balls in his ears as a way to block out noise. The kids laugh at him and Amanda tell her father that he looks like a monkey.

Dawn comes home from work. Michael sits on the couch and reads the newspaper. A fed up Dawn has to cook, clean and look after the children. Dawn loses her temper often whenever she manages the children. She is seen screaming at one of the twins and chasing her children. These parents don’t understand her children think differently than adults do especially when Dawn keeps yelling “What is wrong with you?!”

At bedtime Dawn sits Mikey in front of the TV so she can deal with the twins at bedtime. The twins are given drinks, pretzels and Rice Krispie Treats.

### Parent Meeting

Nanny Yvonne first expresses her discontent with all the yelling and screaming. Dawn agrees. Nanny Yvonne then talks about the favoritism between Mikey and his sisters. She talked about how Amanda and Alexandra are getting more quality time and getting away with their behavior while the parents are harder on Mikey. Afterwards, Nanny Yvonne makes it very clear Michael that he needs to help out more. Micheal disagrees.

### Teaching

Nanny Yvonne returns the next day to lay down the law. She brings in house rules and a reward chart for each of the children which is under water themed. Because the playroom is such a mess, Nanny Yvonne gives the children boxes to keep the toys they want in. Mikey is on board and he earn his first magnet on the chart. The girls were hesitant at first but when they saw their brother work and getting his magnets, they did the same and helped Mikey clean the toy room. Dad Michael doesn't lift a finger and plays around the toy room.

Later on in the day, a problem arises with two of the kids. Mikey feels jealous of his sister that she got a clown card, he takes it from her. Instead of resolving the issue, things get worse as the parents go ballistic on Mikey and Mikey lies to them to avoid his parents yelling at him even more. The parents angrily take away a magnet from him. Realizing what just happened Mikey became very upset and bursts into tears while Dawn yells at him. Mikey tells his mom that she was mean while Dawn threatens to remove the magnet and sends him to his room. Mikey refuses to go his room and lots of magnets are taken off. Mikey is upset because he did he could to earn his magnets in the first place. Michael ends up sending Mikey into his room.

Yvonne pulls Dawn aside to talk about what just happened. Mikey didn’t do much to deserve this confrontation. What Dawn could’ve done was talk to Mikey about it of how Mikey can do differently. Yvonne feels that Mikey was being picked on. Dawn disagrees. Yvonne comes into Mikey's bedroom to talk to him. She reassures him thar can earn his magnets back if he does another good deed. Mikey calms down.

Nanny Yvonne wants to work on bedtime she first explains that snacks and sippy cups are banned. When bedtime comes around, Dawn tells Mikey he can watch TV for 30 minutes and he cannot come out of this room. Mikey gets the message. Meanwhile the girls are tucked into bed without snacks or sippy cups. When the parents come out the room, sure enough the twins are making a ruckus. Michael comes into the girls room. Amanda is busted for climbing on the nightstand. She tells her father that she’s “sleeping”. The girls continue their rambunctious ways and the parents’ patience are wearing thin. Meanwhile Mikey is doing his best to follow the rules and stay put in his room. When Dawn goes to check on Mikey she finds a cup filled with pee. (He probably needed the bathroom but he knew he cannot come out of his room.) Dawn screams even louder than before leaving Mikey terrified.

After what happened Yvonne pulls Michael and Dawn aside and tells them that Mikey needs more quality time. Dawn wants to change that while Michael thinks that’s it's not that big of a deal. Yvonne decides that Dawn and Mikey should go fishing. Mikey is happy. The next day, Michael is asked to do something with the twins while Dawn goes out with Mikey. The twins want to come with mom while Michael is not happy about being alone with the girls. Michael wants things to be about himself and wants people to pity him. Dawn is having none of it and the two get into an argument. Dawn leaves with Mikey and girls and Michael stay home. At the fishing pond Mikey and Dawn are having an blast and there are smiles on their faces. Dawn realizes that Mikey really needs more love and quality time. But at home Michael rides his motorcycle leaving the twins to their own devices.

When Dawn and Mikey come home, they show the girls the fish they caught. Michael yells at Dawn for bringing the fish inside. Micheal flees out of the house. Nanny Yvonne has had enough of the selfishness and decides to confront Michael.

Yvonne pulls Dawn and Michael aside to talk to them. It soon blows up into an argument between Dawn and Michael about how much work they do. When Yvonne corrects Michael about his selfish ways, Dawn tearfully tells herself ¨How was I supposed to know I was gonna have three kids in two years?” With Dawn sobbing and Michael resistant, Yvonne warns them that if they don’t make things right, it will “fall to pieces”. Michael finally understands what he´s doing.

The Maucione Family starts to improve. The family splits up the bedroom so each kid can have their own room. The twins finally go to bed without a fight and all three kids are in bed. On the final day when everyone says goodbye Mikey is emotional. Yvonne reassures him that she'll check up on them. The family is now fixed!

## Family Members

* Michael Maucione, Sr., (33)
* Dawn Maucione, (33)
* Mikey (Michael Jr.), (age 5)
* Alexandra and Amanda, (age 3)

## Trivia

* The Mauciones have a Dalmatian in the episode which died in 2007.
* Despite the issues within Dawn and Michael's marriage, they are still married as of 2022.

## Links

* Episode in parts on Youtube
* Dawn's Facebook