On April 18, 2009, my family and I were in a reality TV show -- "World’s Strictest Parents" -- which can still be viewed on CMT.com, under "Episode 1: The Vintons."

At first, we were a little uneasy about doing a reality show, considering all the bad press these types of shows receive. We certainly didn’t want to be seen as fools, or be made to do things that were not true to who we were. But after viewing the original series in the UK and meeting the casting producers, we were convinced that the show would, indeed, be as organic as possible and, hopefully, help others for the better.

We were right.
 
The experience lasted a couple of weeks, between preparing for the camera crew and teens to arrive in our home. The filming lasted five days. Yes, only five days, but it seemed like five years!...