Welcome to Plathville

The nine flaxen-haired children in the Plath family have never had a soda, don’t know who Spider-Man or Tom Brady is and have never watched TV, living remotely in rural Georgia with their “follow their own rules” parents Kim and Barry Plath. In the latest of its iconic family shows, TLC invites viewers to “unplug” from their fast-paced lives in its new six-part series. Kim and Barry have built a dream life on a 55-acre farm in southern Georgia for their children, ages 6 to 21.  The Plath kids have grown up running free and barefoot, climbing trees, catching bugs and finding the most creative ways to have fun together without the influence of social media and the outside world. The Plath kids aren’t familiar with Lebron James or Justin Bieber, but according to their parents, they are more connected to each other and real-life than the average kid raised on television and mobile devices. Kim and Barry created this protected environment to shield their children from the chaos of the modern world and to instill the traditional values they hold so dear, especially regarding hard work, charitable morals and family roles. But recent changes to the family dynamic have challenged the Plath’s preservation of their conservative lifestyle in today’s modern world. The Plath children were all raised under the same roof with the same values, but just like any family, no two kids are alike – they differ in temperament, from pious and dutiful to adventure-seeking and fun-loving. Almost a year ago, the oldest Plath, Ethan, married Olivia, whose open perspective and worldliness helped establish a contrasting set of rules for their household. They allow sugar, television, alcohol and social media, and are more exposed to different lifestyles and viewpoints. And while Ethan is enjoying being introduced to new things daily, it has resulted in tension between the households as this more modern lifestyle is influencing Ethan’s siblings. The older children are starting to find their independence. 18-year-old Micah can come and go as he pleases, and he often visits Ethan and Olivia with 17-year-old Moriah, who has always craved more freedom and feels like the outcast of the family. Moriah finds a friend in Olivia, who is happy to widen her horizons. Both Moriah and Micah want to experience what the world has to offer, especially after seeing the life that Olivia and Ethan have created for themselves. Kim and Barry are challenged with trying to maintain a connection with Micah and Moriah while still protecting their younger kids from any outside, disruptive influence. But as they see the more modern world moving in, they’re forced to deal with the consequences of a family that’s changing faster than it ever has before. (Discovery Networks)