Growing Pains

Maggie goes back to work as a journalist, prompting psychologist Jason to move his office into their home so he can keep his eye on the kids. Things dont get off to a great start: the first night he gets a call from the police that Mike has been picked up for illegally driving a car.

Jason fumes when Maggie spends long hours on a toxic waste story with handsome co-worker Fred.

Maggie accuses Jason of monopolizing the children.

Jason and Maggie want to go to a mountain lodge for a weekend, but are reluctant to leave the kids alone.

Carol develops a crush on a family friend, who thinks of her as his little sister.

Mike doodles on his aptitude test and winds up with an IQ score of 27.

Mike backs out of the family-bowling match so he can date a snobbish girlfriend.

Maggie casually mentions to Jason that she might be pregnant; Mike acts as a weekend servant to Ben; and Carol wants to divorce her class-project husband.

Ben gives Jason a very expensive birthday present, causing speculation on how he can possibly afford it.

Maggies assignment interferes with anniversary plans.

Reporter Maggie and psychiatrist Jason both face important career decisions.

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A new school year brings boredom, bullies, and romantic mix-ups.

Ben has been calling an X-rated phone service.

Carol spreads rumors about herself and a "hunk".

A proposed school dress code puts Maggie and Jason at odds.

Grounded liar Mike hears Maggie fibbing to her boss.

A girl raises a grade for Mike, then demands payment.

Maggies quarreling parents come to visit the Seavers.

Mike plays Cupid for smitten Ben and his baby sitter.

Maggies busy schedule leaves Ben feeling neglected.

Airlines passengers Jason and Mike must deliver a baby.

Jason knows the editor offering Maggie a dream job is a notorious womanizer.

Ben videotapes Mike and Carols Hawaiian romances.

The family scrambles to help find an out-of-work Maggie a job after she turns into Super Mom, preparing oversize meals and assigning new chores.

Ben asks Carols advice on getting a new bike from their parents.

Burglars hit the Seaver home.

During a tonsillectomy, Ben has an out-of-body experience, dreaming that he escapes with a friendly cabbie, only to find a new Ben has replaced him at home.

An unearned "A" makes Carol doubt her academic record.

Maggie and Jason try to keep Mike in his room to complete an English paper, but Mikes mind is of course elsewhere.

Maggie fumes over the many irritants that seem to be driving her and Jason apart -- until unexpected news sheds light on the situation.

A letter from the girl he met in Hawaii has Mike scheming to fly to Los Angeles to see her without his parents knowing.

Great expectations turn sour at the Dewey High dance after Mike hears Lydias voice; and Ben and Stinky find themselves in a seedy diner eyeing a pinball machine that pays real money.

Spring-cleaning breathes new life into the familys household objects, and each has a story to tell (via flashbacks from past episodes).

Mike and Boner learn that Coach Lubbock has been fired, prompting them to organize a protest.

At Mikes high-school graduation, family members recall moments when it seemed like his graduation would never take place.

Maggie goes into labor on Bens 12th birthday and Ben confesses to a patient at the hospital that hes already feeling crowded.

Landlord-tenant problems abound when Mike (Kirk Cameron) moves into the storage area over the family garage

Carol is chosen for homecoming court.

Ben throws a party to get to know a girl.

A travel snafu strands Julie with Mike.

Maggie prepares her "Working Mother of the Year" acceptance speech.

Maggie arranges for Ben to meet his favorite rock musician.

When Mike takes a job at a convenience store, his mother is worried about him working the dangerous night shift; but Mike is more concerned about the favoritism his racist boss shows him as one of the few white employees.

Carol doesnt want to attend her parents alma mater.

Carols boyfriend is injured drinking and driving.

Jason tries to mend his mothers broken wedding plans.

Julie and Mike suffer prenuptial jitters.

His drama teacher and classmates intimidate Mike.

An angry Jason confronts Ben and Mike, who gives conflicting versions of how Ben came to sell Carols old term papers to students at Dewey High -- and to date a seductive 18-year-old.

Jason gets a promising job offer.

Ben assumes Mikes paper route for half the money.

Promoted at work, Carol decides against college.

Mike falls for his leading lady.

The Seavers reception to raise money for a free mental-health clinic spells disaster when they forget the date of the party and must scramble at the last minute for a caterer.

While on a Valentines Day dinner date with Kate, Mike runs into Julie at the restaurant.

Carol lands in jail after a minor traffic violation.

Ben weighs the pros and cons of cheating after he learns the tricks of the test-passing trade from sly schoolmate Vito.

With Jasons wallet missing, the Seavers must rely on others to provide them with room and board while their house is being fumigated.

Jason and Mike head off together to inspect the mountain cabin Jason has inherited from his Uncle George.

Mike is broke and homeless in New York City.

Mike and his friend Eddie schemingly join "Parents Without Mates" to meet women.

A flirty Jason gets jealous when Maggie turns the tables.

The Seavers spend a rainy Halloween night telling ghost stories.

Maggie is hospitalized in Paris, while Mike finds himself stuck on the road with an angry customer.

Jason, happy to see his mothers second marriage crumbling, doesnt want to provide her with professional help.

Mikes friend Eddie shows up for a double date with Mikes ex-girlfriend.

Jason becomes Bens business partner in the management of a rap group, but uses the money hes invested to control Ben.

Jason takes Maggie on a tropical getaway to lift her spirits after her fathers death, trusting Chrissy to Mike and Carol.

Though Jason had an insensitive Carol pitch in at the clinic, he objects to her dating an ex-con she meets there.

On a blind date shaping up as a disaster, Carol goes to the carnival, and finds unexpected fun and excitement.

Mike and Kate accompany the eloping Eddie and a hat-check bimbette to Las Vegas, giving Mike and Carol the wrong idea.

Mike gets involved when he learns his prize pupil Luke is homeless.

Jason and Maggie compete to write a newspaper column; Ben hates his glasses.

Luke is afraid to visit the doctor, so Jason accompanies him -- but its Jason who turns out to need surgery.

Nouveau riche neighbors move in next door; Ben is forced to look after Luke on his first day of high school; Jasons scheme to let Chrissie stay up late backfires when the neighbors throw a lavish party.

The ghost of Maggies father oversees the Seavers visit to her childhood home.

Ben crams for a college entrance exam, but gets no help from Jason.

Penniless Mike schemes to give Kate a skiing trip.

Maggie and Jason put Mike on the spot for Lukes curfew problems.

Tired of being bullies, Ben takes karate lessons.

Lukes father George visits the Seavers hoping that Luke has mellowed a little and would like to spend some time with him but Luke doesnt. He was about to leave when he collapses outside the door. He says that cant move, so they take him in. Jason and Ben offer to deliver his load, and they experience all sorts of chaos on the way. Mike thinks that George is faking his injury so that he could stay and Luke would have to talk to him. But the doctor tells Maggie who tells Mike that unless George stops driving trucks, he could become paralyzed. Mike talks to George and tells him to tell Luke but doesnt want Luke to pity him and doesnt anything else to do but be a trucker. Mike suggests that maybe he could open a truck stop. Luke finds George struggling to get up and they finally talk. The next day after Jason and Ben return, George tells them that he is giving up trucking and will open a truck stop and Lukes going with him. Luke says goodbye to the Seavers.

A power failure causes dissensions in the Seaver household.

The Seavers move to Washington, D.C., but share a final meal and memories in the empty house.