I find it surprising that the Brady parents get upset with the kids about little things, but don't punish the kids when they should.

On the episode where Jan was playing jokes, she was warned a couple times to quit doing it. Yet, while she's up in the middle of the night (and why she's up, I don't know), she takes the mouse out of the cage and puts it in the hamper. The mouse chews its way out and chaos ensues. The boys are looking all over for it.
Alice sees it and calls an exterminator, which wastes money and almost got it killed. When Jan thinks the mouse is dead, she starts crying and admits it was her fault. Carol is like, "There, there, it's all right. You didn't mean it." Jan caused all that trouble when she was warned to quit playing jokes, but her mother isn't mad!

Here's a big one. Greg gets caught smoking. His father kind of blows it off saying, "Well, I smoked when I was a kid, but we hope you don't do it." Greg even expects a punishment, and gets nothing! Even later when cigarettes fall out of his pocket, even though they weren't his, the parents didn't seem very concerned! Doesn't make sense.

On the other hand, they get upset about little things:

When Greg and Peter were out at a restaurant with two older girls, who were cuddling up with Peter while Greg sat there bored, the parents came in with a Spanish couple. All the parents had to do was pretend they didn't know them, then they wouldn't have been embarrassed in front of their guests. When the parents confronted the boys later, they called their behavior X-rated!! They weren't even kissing the girls!! What was
X-rated??

When Bobby was leaving Cindy notes and gifts to make her think she had a secret admirer, the parents were upset and insisted he tell her the truth. She was so excited about meeting her 'boyfriend' that he didn't have the heart to tell her. He thought of a good idea and got a boy to agree to come over and be her secret admirer. Cindy and the boy hit it off real well, and Bobby was delighted watching them. Then the parents come in and said "You were supposed to tell Cindy the truth". Bobby said "Well, I had a better idea" and "All's well that ends well".
Bobby was right! If he would have listened to his parents and told Cindy the truth, she would have been embarrassed, upset, and crying, and he would have felt bad. With his plan, Cindy has a new friend, and the boy is happy too. The parents are so hell bent on telling the truth whether it hurts someone or not!

These are just a few examples. There are others.

Times that the Brady kids got off with just a warning:

Peter is recording everyone's conversations

Cindy is reading Marcia's diary, so Marcia and Jan write that Cindy is going to be the new Shirley Temple

Bobby takes advantage of Peter after he saves his life

When Greg and Bobby had the chin up contest and Bobby won, and Greg was supposed to do everything he said for a week, the parents should have drew the line about him going on the date. They should have said "He already did a bunch of chores for you.
That's enough."

Originally posted by Vegas Girl
When Greg and Bobby had the chin up contest and Bobby won, and Greg was supposed to do everything he said for a week, the parents should have drew the line about him going on the date. They should have said "He already did a bunch of chores for you. That's enough."

But then Greg wouldn't have been living by his exact words. :)

Originally posted by Vegas Girl


When Bobby was leaving Cindy notes and gifts to make her think she had a secret admirer, the parents were upset and insisted he tell her the truth. She was so excited about meeting her 'boyfriend' that he didn't have the heart to tell her. He thought of a good idea and got a boy to agree to come over and be her secret admirer. Cindy and the boy hit it off real well, and Bobby was delighted watching them. Then the parents come in and said "You were supposed to tell Cindy the truth". Bobby said "Well, I had a better idea" and "All's well that ends well".
Bobby was right! If he would have listened to his parents and told Cindy the truth, she would have been embarrassed, upset, and crying, and he would have felt bad. With his plan, Cindy has a new friend, and the boy is happy too. The parents are so hell bent on telling the truth whether it hurts someone or not!


That's one of my favorite eps. I thought it was so sweet of Bobby to do that. I agree the parents should have left them alone and let them work it out for themselves. Sometimes I think parents forget what it's like to be kids.

Exactly. If he would have told her the truth, Cindy would have misinterpreted it as a prank. She would have thought it was a mean joke and be heartbroken and embarrassed. Is that what the parents wanted????

Bobby meant well, and he followed through and made sure it ended well. Everyone was happy except the parents.

How dumb!

When Greg and Bobby had the chin up contest and Bobby won, and Greg was supposed to do everything he said for a week, the parents should have drew the line about him going on the date. They should have said "He already did a bunch of chores for you. That's enough.

But then Greg wouldn't have been living by his exact words. :)

People always get those two episodes mixed up!

On the other hand, they get upset about little things:

When Greg and Peter were out at a restaurant with two older girls, who were cuddling up with Peter while Greg sat there bored, the parents came in with a Spanish couple. All the parents had to do was pretend they didn't know them, then they wouldn't have been embarrassed in front of their guests. When the parents confronted the boys later, they called their behavior X-rated!! They weren't even kissing the girls!! What was
X-rated??


I've always wondered about that myself. Why didn't Greg pretend he didn't notice Mike and carol, and why didn't Mike ignore Peter as if he didn't know him? It seems that if they felt the situation needed to be dealt with they could have waited until Greg and Peter got home.

Some might call it a lie by omission, but It seems more like damage control to me!