Liam and Caroline Flynn are Mancunians in their early thirties who are raising their three children and holding down jobs. It's tough – and even tougher because they're still growing up themselves. They are blessed with a rebellious teenage daughter, Chloe, and two younger sons; Mikey, who's always up for a lark, and Steve who definitely isn't. Liam and Caroline both find that trying to be a good parent is a minefield of dilemmas and blunders – but help is at hand, albeit in the form of Liam's wayward brother Tommy, who never ceases to complicate matters, and their grouchy dad Jim, who believes they'll never be as good as he was at parenting. Both are on hand to offer advice which often ends in disaster.