A MEMBER OF THE FAMILY, I
 
Theme: Discipline; family conflict.
Episode Number: 017
Writer: Susan McBride; Steve Harris
Scripture: Exodus 20:12; Proverbs 3:11-12; Ephesians 6:4
Album: Gold Audio #01: The Adventure Begins
Last Air Date: 12/08/2002
Original Air Date: 3/12/88
Summary:
Whit and Tom are at the airport, waiting excitedly for Whit's grandson, Monty, to arrive. Monty is going to spend the summer in Odyssey to take a break from a difficult home situation. Whit's daughter, Jana, and her husband have split up, and the divorce has been difficult for Monty and his sister, Jenny.
Unfortunately, Monty is a first-class spoiled brat. Whit deals with Monty as best he can, trying to be patient. Finally, Whit lays down some ground rules: No more sassiness, no more rudeness.
The next day, at Whit's End, Whit shows Monty a few chores he can do to earn some spending money. But when Whit's gone, Monty calls his mother long distance, lies about how mean Whit is to him, and begs her to come take him home. Jana says she can't come until the end of the week. So, to make matters worse, Monty steals money from the cash register and goes to the movies.
When Whit finds out, he does not spare the rod on his grandson. Afterward, Whit explains to Monty why he had to be spanked. Monty responds positively. Over the next week, he and Whit start having fun, and Monty even helps the Odyssey Coyotes win the Little League championship. Everything is going well-until Jana shows up at Whit's door, very upset.
Whit tries to explain what happened, but Jana is too stubborn to listen, and their discussion becomes an argument. When Jana stomps upstairs to take her son away, Monty isn't there. He has run away. Whit and Jana go to the sheriff's office to report Monty missing, but surprisingly, Monty is already there. He was picked up for breaking a window at Whit's End.
The three return to Whit's house and finally talk things out. When Whit and Jana are alone, Whit explains some Whittaker family history to Jana. Whit tells her that when her brother, Jerry, died in the Vietnam War, they all handled their grief differently. Whit spent more time with Jana's younger brother, Jason, partly because he missed Jerry so much, and partly because soon Jason would be draft age himself. Unfortunately, Jana got lost in the whole ordeal, and before Whit knew what had happened, there was a huge gap between them.
Whit tells Jana he'd like to try and close that gap. Jana agrees, and for the first time in years, both father and daughter are happy.

Discussion Questions:

• Do you think Whit had a good reason to spank Monty? What does the Bible say about spanking? Could Whit have handled the situation in any other way? Explain your answers.
• Why was Jana so angry with Whit? Why was Monty so rude to Whit and Tom?
• What mistakes did Whit make in raising Jana? How could he have avoided those mistakes? Corrected them?

This show marked the first appearance of Whit's family members and revealed important facts about them, such as why the Whittakers moved to Odyssey.