Set in working-class Chicago, the Gallagher family, a working class family of eight, must survive the ups and downs of today's recession. With a mother who is out of her element and an alcoholic father who usually ends up passed out on the living room floor, 18-year-old daughter Fiona is left with the task of keeping her five younger brothers and sisters on the straight and narrow.

Being a single mom in today's world is a daunting task. For Reba Hart (Reba McEntire), parenthood encompasses not only watching over three kids, but also keeping an eye on a son-in-law, a granddaughter, an ex-husband, and an ex-husband's neurotic wife.