Growing Pains follows the life of Jason Seaver, a psychiatrist who works out of an office at home while his wife Maggie goes back to work at the local news studio as a reporter. Both have their hands full with their 3 kids: wild child and ladies' man Mike, bookworm and honor student Carol, and rambunctious Ben. A few years after Maggie goes back to work, the family gets a surprise when fourth child Chrissy is born.
Mike (Kirk Cameron) tries to help when he learns that his best remedial student (Leonardo DiCaprio) is homeless. With Alan Thicke, Joanna Kerns.
A homeless remedial student (Leonardo DiCaprio) comes under suspicion when Jason's (Alan Thicke) wine collection starts to disappear.
Writing a newspaper column puts Maggie (Joanna Kerns) in competition with Jason (Alan Thicke); Ben (Jeremy Miller) tries to lose his new glasses.
Mike (Kirk Cameron) risks his television career to help Luke (Leonardo DiCaprio); Carol (Tracey Gold) enjoys her new popularity at college.
Ben gets spooked at the prospect of asking a girl to a Halloween party; Jason becomes a disruptive force at Lamaze class.
Maggie goes into labor on Ben's 12th birthday and Ben confesses to a patient at the hospital that he's already feeling crowded.
Mike has a showdown with Jason over his rights as an 18-year-old college student, and declares his freedom from parental rule.
Mike converts the storage space above the garage into an apartment. In so doing, he must choose whether he wants to be tenant or family member.
Carol is chosen for homecoming court.
Mike's photography course includes nude studies.
Ben throws a party to get to know a girl.
The Seavers hire a nanny for Chrissy.
A travel snafu strands Julie with Mike.
Carol sneaks out of the house for a date.
Maggie prepares her "Working Mother of the Year" acceptance speech.
Boner flunks out of college and joins the Marines.
Maggie arranges for Ben to meet his favorite rock musician.
Guests bicker at the Seavers' 20th-anniversary party.
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.
Jason punishes Carol and Ben unequally for the same offense when they are both caught after sneaking out for dates without permission.
Carol doesn't want to attend her parents' alma mater.
Jason intervenes when Mike gets bad grades in psychology.
Carol's boyfriend is injured drinking and driving.
Jason's mother plans to wed aboard a cruise ship.
Jason tries to mend his mother's broken wedding plans.
The family is stranded in Maui.
Ben videotapes Mike and Carol's Hawaiian romances.
Mike uses double talk to sell stereos.
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.
Mike is unaware that he's been nominated for student-body president because he's "a sure loser."
Ben asks Carol's advice on getting a new bike from their parents.
A star is born when Mike lands a leading role in the school play opposite the lovely Monica.
Burglars hit the Seaver home.
Bobby's annoying habits make Carol look elsewhere for the man of her dreams -- just in time for her to notice a new student.
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.
After their success in the school play, Mike and Monica set their sights on a Broadway audition for "Our Town."
An unearned "A" makes Carol doubt her academic record.
A troubled student named Jill (Kellie Overbey) volunteers to work on a school project with Mike (Kirk Cameron) and Boner (Josh Andrew Koenig). This, however, is a subterfuge: Jill has been contemplating suicide due to some very serious problems at home, and she hopes to get some free counseling from Mike's psychiatrist dad Jason (Alan Thicke). But as it turns out, Jason is presently weighed down with a few self-pity issues of his own.
Maggie and Jason try to keep Mike in his room to complete an English paper, but Mike's mind is of course elsewhere.
Reason flies out the window when Bobby and his parents arrive at the Seavers' for dinner and a special announcement -- that Bobby and Carol are engaged.
Jason and Maggie's (Alan Thicke, Joanna Kerns) normally placid marriage is strained as Maggie juggles her roles as mother and TV reporter.
Carol (Tracey Gold) feels betrayed after her mother (Joanna Kerns) shares a confidential secret with Jason (Alan Thicke).
Against his parents wishes, Mike (Kirk Cameron) schemes to sneak away to California to meet a friend. With Alan Thicke and Joanna Kerns.
At the school dance, Mike gets a girl and Carol gets raked over the coals. Meanwhile, Ben's adventure goes awry.
Great expectations turn sour at the Dewey High dance after Mike hears Lydia's voice; and Ben and Stinky find themselves in a seedy diner eyeing a pinball machine that pays real money.
Maggie's (Joanna Kerns) pregnancy causes the family to worry about how the baby will affect their lives. With Alan Thicke and Kirk Cameron.
Spring-cleaning breathes new life into the family's household objects, and each has a story to tell (via flashbacks from past episodes).
Household objects continue to recall occasions in the Seaver home.
Mike and Boner learn that Coach Lubbock has been fired, prompting them to organize a protest.
Jason, Carol, Mike and Boner are arrested in the demonstration over the dismissal of Coach Lubbock.
At Mike's high-school graduation, family members recall moments when it seemed like his graduation would never take place.
Maggie plans a surprise reunion for Jason's college rock band.
A new school year brings boredom, bullies, and romantic mix-ups.
A cheerleader befriends Carol solely to meet Mike.
Ben has been calling an X-rated phone service.
Fired Mike hides the truth from his parents.
Carol spreads rumors about herself and a "hunk".
A con man sells Mike a "magic" rock.
A proposed school dress code puts Maggie and Jason at odds.
Ben invites a street girl home for the holidays.
Grounded liar Mike hears Maggie fibbing to her boss.
Carol has the chance to skip a high-school grade.
A girl raises a grade for Mike, then demands payment.
The winter formal causes opposite problems for Carol and Mike.
Carol's having friends over for a slumber party, and as a result, Mike and Ben take it upon themselves to play several pranks on them. Chaos soon ensues when Maggie's parents arrive in a motorhome with the news that they sold their home and will spend the rest of their retirement traveling around the country – much to Maggie's dismay.
Mike and his friends go to a college party and have to decide whether to use drugs or not.
Mike plays Cupid for smitten Ben and his baby sitter.
Carol wants to use radio-contest winnings on a nose job.
Maggie's busy schedule leaves Ben feeling neglected.
Ben is working on a family history project at school. When he uncovers a shocking secret from both parent's pasts, he turns to Mike and Carol for help in trying to get them to spill the beans.
Jason and Maggie are frustrated that none of their lectures about the importance of an education seem to get through to Mike. Jason's words of wisdom seem to take hold when, on a flight to Boston where Jason went to college that Jason has to deliver a baby and Mike keeps the expectant father occupied.
Maggie wants Jason to fire the elderly handyman he hired to fix the furnace, but he refuses because the man is a friend.
Jason knows the editor offering Maggie a dream job is a notorious womanizer.
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 don't 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 embarrasses Mike at a Bruce Springsteen concert when they are interviewed together.
Jason fumes when Maggie spends long hours on a toxic waste story with handsome co-worker Fred.
Maggie gives an honest assessment of Carol's writing of an article for her school magazine; Mike and Ben discover track betting.
Maggie accuses Jason of monopolizing the children.
Mike's infatuation with a Madonna look-alike worries Maggie.
Jason and Maggie want to go to a mountain lodge for a weekend, but are reluctant to leave the kids alone.
Coming across a compatibility test in Jason's office, Maggie decides she and Jason should fill it out, but her answers don't tab with his. Meanwhile, Mike feigns interest in karate when his real goal is a girl attending the course.
Carol develops a crush on a family friend, who thinks of her as his little sister.
Mike hurts more than his pride when he takes a nasty fall off a dirt bike that he promised his parents he wouldn't go near.
Mike doodles on his aptitude test and winds up with an IQ score of 27.
A depressed department store Santa consulting Jason decides to commit suicide by leaping down the Seavers' chimney.
Mike backs out of the family-bowling match so he can date a snobbish girlfriend.
Jason faces off against Ben's hockey coach, who's teaching the boys to play dirty; Mike learns ballroom dancing.
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.
The PTA head rejects the Seavers as dance chaperones.
Ben gives Jason a very expensive birthday present, causing speculation on how he can possibly afford it.
Mike writes test answers on his shoe soles.
Maggie's assignment interferes with anniversary plans.
Custodian Mike watches a wild party explode in his home.
Reporter Maggie and psychiatrist Jason both face important career decisions.
Mike's practical-joker uncle Bob visits from the hereafter.
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