On Howard Road, travelling stationery salesman Sid Abbott and his wife Jean constantly battle to comprehend the permissive ways of their teenage children Mike and Sally.
Sid tries desperately to understand his two teenage children, but the more he tries, the less he understands them.
Sid overhears a conversation between the doctors and, as usual, gets crossed messages.
Sally has a date with a mystery man, and Jean has a surprise for Sid for Father's day; but Sid's suspicious mind throws a spanner in the works.
Sid tells Mike to find a job, but much to Jean's dismay, Mike announces he is leaving home. Sally is so upset that she decides she is leaving too. How will Jean react to her children both leaving? And how will Sid cope with the fall out?
Sid's boss asks him to look after a special gift that he has bought for his wife for a special anniversary. What could possibly go wrong?
Dinner time at the Abbotts turns into a debate about the generations, and the morals of meat eating, as Sally and Sid lock horns. Sid and Jean suspect Mike is planning to elope.
After many years as a stay at home mother, Jean decides she wants to get a job. She knows the family will struggle without her though, so she hires a cleaner.
It's Sunday, and Sid wants a day of rest, but with the sink blocking, and Mike creating his sculpture, a day of rest is the last thing he's going to get. Jean and Sid meet their new neighbors.
Betty and Trev have a huge row, and Trev decides he wants to come stay at Sid and Jean's house. However, this doesn't make everyone happy, and trouble ensues. Mike meanwhile, decides he wants to be spiritual.
Mike and his friends decide to spend the weekend living on bread and water, and give what they would have spent on food to charity. He encourages his parents to join him. They do; but Sid finds it a lot harder than he expected it to be.
Sally has been looking after the elderly in the area, and brings a dog home to stay, as one of the men she has been caring for has had to get rid of him. Sally, Jean, and Mike love 'Fred' the mongrel, and want him to stay, but Sid has other ideas.
Sid wakes up with a hangover after a night with the guys. He has no memory of what happened the night before, and is stunned to see an array of items that don't belong to him. Meanwhile, Mike advertises his sculptures to raise some money.
