Polly leaves her irresponsible husband, Julian, and taking her young daughter, Natalie, moves back in with her unpredictable parents, Elaine and stepfather Max. Apprehensive but determined to get her life back on track, Polly jumps into the dating scene and reluctantly leaves Natalie home for a night with her parents.

When Polly hurts her back training for a 5K and becomes confined to the couch, her parents step in to take care of Natalie. Elaine finds herself in an awkward situation with Natalie's classmates when they ask her to explain heaven and religion. Meanwhile, Max and Elaine encourage Julian to give Polly some space.

The family celebrate their favorite holiday - the Oscars. Polly invites an old classmate over for the event and tries to impress him. Meanwhile, Max thinks that Elaine has too close a relationship with her brother, and tensions explode at the party.

When Polly and Julian tell Natalie they won't be going camping as a family this year, Natalie invents an imaginary bully in an effort to deal with her parents' divorce. Meanwhile, Elaine forces Max into planning to see an old Aunt who is at death's door.

Elaine and Max encourage Polly to put her needs first, as they did when Polly was growing up, and offer to babysit Natalie so Polly can spend time out with Scott. But they get a quick lesson in parenting the middle ground between letting kids run the show and ending up on a milk carton.