Plot

Ray finally finds out that, to the kids, he's a pushover. So he decides to go hard on them. But he may be going a little too hard.

Robert and Amy haven't set a date for the wedding as they still haven't told her parents that they are engaged.

Debra is the only one who is disciplining the kids and Ray is too lenient. Debra wants kids to clean their room, but Ray has given them permission to play outside. When Debra sticks to her stand, Ray doesn't say anything, and suggests that the twins can clean up their room later. Debra sends the twins back to their room, and the kids think Debra is mean.

Debra asks Ray to take some responsibility and be a bit firm. Marie chimes in that boys should play, and she never made Ray clean up his room. Debra says that Ray is only the "fun" dad and not serious at all. Marie says that it is only natural for one parent to be tough and the other one to be a bit lenient with the kids to maintain balance. Robert says that Ray's obsession for being liked by everyone has now contaminated his parenting skills as the twins lack any sort of discipline. Marie says that Ray is adorable and cannot be the tough parent, while Debra is naturally mean, and it comes to her easily. Debra says that if Ray lays down the law once in a while, the kids will respect him more. Ray is offended by this and says that he can be tough with the kids.

Ray tries to get the twins Michael (Sullivan Sweeten) and Geoffrey (Sawyer Sweeten) to clean up the room and goes overboard with the punishment when they don't listen to him. No TV for a month and extra house chores like taking out the trash every day. And all holidays (Christmas, Easter, 4th of July and Halloween) stand canceled.

When Debra tells Ray that he went too far, he agrees and says that he has no idea what he is doing, and that Debra should not have made him be tough with the twins. Ray says that he does not know how to be the tough parent. The adults have a discussion on ways to discipline children. Marie wants Ray to take back the punishment and Debra to impose it instead. Frank advises Ray not to back down at all.

Frank says that he had the 9 pm curfew for Ray and Ray turned out fine. Robert revealed that after Frank fell asleep, Ray would break the curfew all the time (as he had memorized which stairs would squeak). Ray reveals that Robert broke the curfew as well and also stole liquor from Frank's cabinet (Frank had a padlock on the front, so Robert removed the back panel). Marie understands that Frank was a goon to his kids his entire life and all it made them was juvenile delinquents.

Debra says her parents made the rules and also explained them to her. Ray says even then she went to Mardi Gras and took her top off at the parade. Debra calls it's a momentary youthful indiscretion, but Marie is horrified. The topless photo got printed in the papers. Ray thinks no matter how they approach it, kids will do what they want.

Ray goes back to the kids and says if they do anything, just make sure Ray and Debra never find out about it.