Ep 21. Operation False Freedom

Adam (played by Matt LeBlanc) has always been the parent with "the plan," but in season 1 episode 21 of Man With a Plan, called "Operation False Freedom," he's left flying solo as Andi (Liza Snyder) heads out of town for a weekend getaway with the girls.

Adam quickly realizes that parenting without Andi is harder than he thought it would be. As he tries to juggle raising his three kids and managing his home renovation business, he becomes increasingly overwhelmed. He's forced to rely on his brother Don (Kevin Nealon) for help, and things quickly spiral out of control when Don's laissez-faire parenting style clashes with Adam's more strict approach.

Things come to a head when Adam catches Don letting the kids watch a violent R-rated movie. Furious, Adam puts together a plan for "Operation False Freedom." He decides to give the kids complete freedom -- no rules, no bedtimes, no consequences -- to show them how dangerous and destructive that kind of lifestyle can be.

Things start off well enough. The kids are thrilled to be allowed to stay up late, eat junk food, and play video games all day. But as the days pass, Adam starts to realize that his plan is backfiring. The kids become increasingly lazy and disrespectful, completely ignoring him when he tries to enforce any rules.

Things come to a head when Adam catches his youngest daughter, Emme, sneaking out of the house in the middle of the night to go to a party with her friends. Worried about her safety, Adam realizes that he needs to put his foot down and set some firm boundaries before things get completely out of hand.

With Don's help, Adam lays down the law. He institutes bedtimes, limits screen time, and makes sure that the kids know that there are consequences for their actions. At first, the kids resist, but gradually they start to see that having structure and boundaries isn't so bad after all.

In the end, Adam learns that parenting is about finding a balance -- between structure and freedom, between discipline and love. Andi returns from her trip, and Adam is grateful to have her back. It's a touching moment that reminds us that, no matter how crazy things get, family is always there to help us find our way.