A Polish Family — Season 1

Aired 2 March 2011 • 25 min

Winter break has arrived. Parents suddenly face the challenge of keeping their kids entertained and filling up all that free time. But new challenges aren’t always easy to handle – how, for example, do you set up a ski jump inside the house? During the break, Kuba discovers his supernatural gift – he’s a telephonopath... The holidays and household chaos come to an end all too quickly. Unfortunately, not everything slips back into the old routine right away.

Aired 2 March 2011 • 25 min

When the kids’ nanny quits, Natalia and Ludwik scramble to find a replacement. A series of failed candidates forces them to juggle childcare themselves – an exhausting task with three lively boys. Natalia grows apathetic, Ludwik turns to desperate measures, and just when they finally hire a new nanny, her choice of a “classic” movie leaves the Boskis anything but pleased.

Aired 9 March 2011 • 25 min

Natalia and Ludwik want their sons to learn the value of money. The boys are amazed their parents once had a Mercedes cabrio. But keeping a family is expensive. Kuba quickly learns to negotiate for allowance, and Ludwik faces three tough little bargainers.

Aired 9 March 2011 • 25 min

Kuba and Kacper are constantly fighting – always over the TV remote. Natalia tries to bring the family together at the table, using some unconventional methods. At school, Kuba has to face the tough Olczak. Natalia urges him to stay peaceful, while Ludwik backs her up with advice. In the end, they all learn the difference between the power of argument and the argument of power.

Aired 16 March 2011 • 25 min

Tomek is dating Sylwia, and Natalia is eager to hear how it’s going. Though he doesn’t share everything, he sometimes needs her advice. Ludwik is impressed by his oldest son’s behavior. Kacper and Kuba also talk about love and girls. But life isn’t all romance – there’s Brussels sprouts, rap, and taking out the trash to deal with too.

Aired 16 March 2011 • 25 min

The parents and kids can’t agree on food. The boys are picky, and Natalia struggles to balance their demands with her own beliefs. Even the parents start to clash. To make matters worse, these food fights reveal deeper parenting challenges.

Aired 23 March 2011 • 25 min

Being the only woman in the family isn’t easy. Natalia handles the house, the boys, and everything in between. The men take advantage of her patience – until it finally runs out. Maria convinces Kuba that women are smarter than men and gets the boys to play a feminist version of Scrabble. Ludwik is skeptical, but Maria hopes it will teach the boys a lesson.

Aired 23 March 2011 • 25 min

Christmas at the Boskis’ is all about family, love… and presents. The kids prepare gifts for their parents and sneak around the house hunting for surprises. Natalia knows exactly what the boys want, while Ludwik is clueless. Everyone joins in the holiday preparations. Decorating the tree, Ludwik tries to explain Christmas traditions to Kacper. Meanwhile, the kids plan a trap to see if Santa is real.

Aired 30 March 2011 • 25 min

Ludwik plans a full day of fun for his sons, but the boys aren’t impressed. He does manage to get everyone to play a mini hockey match. The whole family faces off, learning about losing and helping each other. Natalia convinces Tomek that learning history dates is important… while baking a chocolate cake. At night, Ludwik goes in search of a crystal ball.

Aired 30 March 2011 • 25 min

In a family, like in a company, everything is supposed to run smoothly. But sometimes it doesn’t. The garage door breaks, a rabbit gets diarrhea, and a friend drops by with a child. Maybe it’s time to move somewhere with sun, sea, and wide sandy beaches?

Aired 6 April 2011 • 25 min

The basement smells damp, sometimes even of ammonia. But that’s not Ludwik and Natalia’s only problem. They need to teach their kids what family means and how to respect others, no matter their status or job. Natalia faces a growing Kacper, while Ludwik and Marek try to instill a love of sports in Kuba.

Aired 6 April 2011 • 25 min

Natalia starts smoking again. How can she deal with the habit? And how does she explain it to her kids, who hear over and over that smoking is bad? Maybe her best friend Maria can help. Or perhaps the kids and Ludwik will motivate her to quit for good.

Aired 13 April 2011 • 25 min

Natalia tries to teach Kuba the basics of Polish grammar, which proves challenging. Ludwik just wants to watch a documentary about Buddhist monks in peace. With three sons, there’s triple the trouble – but Natalia and Ludwik start thinking about a fourth child. Will the Boskis family grow?

Aired 13 April 2011 • 25 min

The holidays are coming, and snow brings new dilemmas for the Boskis family. Could believing in Santa be harmful… for Kacper? And could a parental divorce actually mean twice as many presents? Even picking names for Secret Santa turns out to be harder than hitting the jackpot in the lottery.

Aired 20 April 2011 • 25 min

Nobody wants to be poor, but getting rich isn’t easy. What schemes will the boys come up with this time? Tomek starts babysitting, and younger Kuba wants to follow his lead. What happens when an eleven-year-old takes care of the little ones? Trouble, of course. Everyone gets hooked on poker, and when boredom strikes, Kuba and Kacper take a joyride in a police car.

Aired 20 April 2011 • 25 min

It’s time for the Boskis family to face the tough questions kids ask. Ludwik squirms when talking about intimate topics, while Natalia says happiness can make you shout. The parents explain love, affection, and that life has both happy and hard days. Natalia worries about Tomek going to his first party and decides to have a serious talk. Meanwhile, Kuba’s problems are far from over.

Aired 27 April 2011 • 25 min

Three school-age boys are always a challenge for their parents. There are endless questions to answer, homework to help with, and reading to encourage – it’s no easy task. Kuba teaches Ludwik that in math – and in life – trick questions rule. Even knowledge of biology can get in the way of enjoying a good dessert.

Aired 27 April 2011 • 25 min

Ludwik thinks a pet will teach Kuba responsibility. But their choice turns out to be a mistake. Tomek goes through a rough patch and loses his appetite, worrying Natalia. Should they consult a specialist? Their friend Maria visits to help with the boys, and her simple methods prove surprisingly effective.

Aired 4 May 2011 • 25 min

Autumn arrives, and it’s time to get ready for winter. Some struggle with the seasonal blues, others chase every bit of melatonin. No one wants to rake leaves, but Natalia’s clever plan gets the yard cleaned. Unfortunately, Tomek refuses his old jacket, Kuba dislikes his cousin’s hand-me-down, and Kacper worries he never has anything new.

Aired 4 May 2011 • 25 min

Being a parent takes energy and dedication. You care for the kids when they need a doctor, explain a world ruled by ruthless marketing, and support their learning with the right tools. Parenting demands both patience and stamina.

Aired 11 May 2011 • 25 min

Beliefs and opinions matter a lot in the Boski family. But sometimes they clash with a tidy lawn or everyone’s taste in food. Natalia follows the latest parenting tips from a magazine, while everyone wonders: is constant supervision really the key to trust and freedom? And the big question – can you survive a school year without an iPod?

Aired 11 May 2011 • 25 min

Summer has arrived for the family. How to plan it so everyone relaxes, learns something, and sees new places? Should the boys go to camp, or the family try a remote camping trip? Or maybe just Croatia or the Polish seaside? Summer brings tough questions and big decisions.

Aired 18 May 2011 • 25 min

The holidays are over, and it’s time for new challenges and responsibilities. Kuba asks the big question: why bother learning? Kacper meets a new friend who shows him exciting horizons and a lesson in democracy. But Kacper’s grades are poor, so Ludwik is determined to push him to work harder.

Aired 18 May 2011 • 25 min

Advertising flyers turn out to be a perfect excuse to swap old things for nice, new ones. Sometimes it takes some clever tricks to make it happen. Meanwhile, Kacper has lice, Tomek is a Scrabble champ, hot dogs aren’t exactly healthy, and Ludwik declares himself king, demanding obedience.

Aired 25 May 2011 • 25 min

Ludwik wishes his sons would become more independent, but Kuba, Kacper, and Tomek keep dodging their chores. He starts doubting the point of having kids. Natalia handles it better and reminds him that happy, healthy children are the real joy. Even she is surprised by how fast they grow up.

Aired 25 May 2011 • 25 min

Big stir at the Boski household – it's cleaning time. Natalia and Ludwik decide to join the neighborhood’s annual garage sale. They urge the boys to sort through their stuff, but it turns out it’s easiest to get rid of someone else’s belongings. Kacper learns that complete honesty doesn’t always pay off. For Ludwik and Natalia, the cleanup brings back memories.