Atlanta The World's Strictest Parents

Around the world, many parents raise their kids on a diet of strict discipline...

Do not come back until you have checked your answers.

-Rigid boundaries...

-Drinking, drugs, and sex - they're selfish behaviours that destroy lives.

And immediate consequences.

Come on.

You might say my parents are strict but we'd rather call it love.

But can traditional parenting change the lives of rebellious British teenagers?

I need some more booze, where's my booze?

As soon as someone says you will do this, the first thing I say is, "No I won't."

I get away with murder really, like I can just do anything I want.

Big lack of respect for authority.

I go to bed when I want. I wake up when I want.

I don't care what anyone else thinks about me cos it's up to me, isn't it?

To find out, two teens who've never met before will leave their fraught families behind...

Don't. If that was your family...

and head off to the far corners of the world

where they will live according to strict rules imposed by new parents.

In my house, you're going to do as I tell you to do.

Please let me make it very clear, my children won't defy me.

This is wrecking my head. This is wrecking my head.

When I punish, I punish really hard.

I'm sick of being treated like a little kid when I'm not.

-Shut up and listen to me.

-Get upstairs.

-No.

You are towelled, you are mine. In the US, you have to do what an adult says.

They are actually insane.

The British people's moral fabric is disintegrating.

You've woke up in a right mood this morning.

-No I haven't woken up in a mood.

-Yes, you have.

-No, I haven't.

You were the one that turned round and said you're bloody tired. Why're you tired? because you stayed out

the night before last, you went out last night bloody drinking, that's why.

Mum, I'm going out.

For 17-year-old, Bex Keene, life is a party.

My mum thinks I'm a druggie, my dad thinks I'm a waster, thinks I'm gonna get pregnant.

-What do you mean, abuse my body?

-The drugs and drink, Bex.

-You don't even know.

-No, of course we don't.

We've tried absolutely everything with Bex, all different kinds of grounding, punishing.

You name it, we've done it.

I just don't like them. What?

-Will you be home tonight?

-I dunno.

Bex and boys, she's a dog on heat.

Smell my hair, does it smell nice?

Lovely. I have loads of boy mates, I shag most of them.

I like to have a bit of a drink. Where's the other bottle?

You could pick her up, put her in a convent, and she'd be buggered, wouldn't she?

To her parents' dismay, her partying lost Bex her place at college and her job at McDonalds.

I can't be bothered to get up and go to work

-or go to college.

-She's completely and utterly lost. She is an alien.

16-year-old, Chezden Dundee is in love with his hair.

Yeah, Chezden spends a lot of time doing his hair.

Every little hair has got to be in the right place.

-I might look like a

-BLEEP

-but at least I'm happy, you know what I mean?

Chezden came out to his mum when he was 13.

It doesn't bother me him being gay at all

but he's...

behaving like a tart.

Chezden enjoys shocking people with his exploits.

I should be a sex therapist, I love talking about sex. It's well juicy, innit?

Chezden's mum, Sylvia, is seriously ill with heart disease but that

doesn't stop him from treating her like a personal servant.

Put it on spin.

Three year ago I had a heart attack, I couldn't get stressed so I let things go.

Instead of getting stressed and shouting, I started to let things slide a bit and I think that's why

now he thinks he can do as he pleases and he doesn't have to help out or do anything.

I wouldn't like to say I boss my mum around but I do like getting my own way.

I sometimes wash up if my mum pays me, and then I sometimes get paid for washing up and don't do it.

He doesn't do anything, very lazy.

Chezden has no contact with his dad, who left before he was born.

I don't really think I need a dad cos, I mean, I've got my mum and that's all I need really.

It's like you don't miss what you've never had.

Can I feed all the room in that shirt?

Both families have decided to send their troubled teens away to spend

-eight days in the American South with parents who demand obedience.

-Behave.

-I will behave.

-Love you.

-Bye, Bex.

-With a bit of luck she'll come back our old Bex.

-Maybe, yeah.

And we'll get on with our lives.

I'd like Chezden to learn something from this experience

and I'm hoping that he's going to learn to show me more respect.

-Hiya, you all right?

-Hello, you all right? Yeah, you?

I'm Chez.

I'm Bex.

GOSPEL MUSIC PLAYS

The British teens will be flying 4,200 miles to Atlanta, Georgia.

Many of the city's population are devout Christians like the Kimbroughs, the family

with whom the British teens will be staying for the next 10 days.

There are two sons, DJ, 15 and Aja, 12.

Wanda is a school administrator and David is a Baptist preacher.

What is wrong with you, honey?

HE SCREAMS

When I say no, I mean no.

The Kimbroughs believe in the divine right of parents to chastise their children.

One of the things that's really important to us is God.

It's important for us to be able to instil that in our children, and secondly for our children to walk

in obedience, obedience to God first and foremost, and obedience to us as their parents.

Wanda Kimbrough demands that her children treat her like a queen.

Make sure you get all of the dishes washed and that they're washed well.

I'm not just the queen, I'm the homework queen.

-Do not come back until you have checked your answers, do you understand?

-Yes, Mom.

-OK.

-I think one of the worst things our kids could do is to lie to us.

We don't believe in smoking, drinking or using profanity.

It's just things of that nature that so many people in society think are no big deal.

They are a big deal to us.

For the next eight days, Chezden and Bex will have

their lives dictated by the Kimbroughs' strict moral code.

After their nine-hour flight to Atlanta,

it's already clear that Chezden and Bex have plenty in common.

Why are people strict in the first place?

-So the kids don't end up like us.

-THEY LAUGH

I bet everybody knows everyone's business around here.

Yeah, it's like Desperate Housewives.

Oh, God, I bet they'll be so warped, in't they?

They're gonna be typical Yanks. SHE BELCHES

-Sorry.

-Oh, that is so disgusting.

-Sorry, sorry.

-Do you know, you can fart all you want but when people burp it actually makes me heave.

I need a cigarette.

I do.

-Hi.

-Hi.

-Hello.

-How are you?

-I'm Chez.

-Chez.

-I'm Aja.

-David.

-Hello.

Hello, I'm David. Nice to meet you.

-Hello.

-Hi, I'm Wanda.

Can we have a cigarette here?

-Excuse me?

-Can we have a cigarette here?

No, no, no, no.

We've been in the car for so long.

-Really, do you smoke?

-Yeah.

-Do both of you smoke?

-Yeah.

Ah, we don't do cigarettes.

-We don't do any smoking at all.

-On the ground. I'll buy you some gum.

Chez. Chez, I promise you.

Chez, can you save some of that please.

I need a lighter.

I won't chase you.

I won't chase you but you're gonna need more than this rain

to put out the fire if you light that cigarette.

You wanna start this trip being defiant?

-No!

-Put it out.

You're not getting off to a good start with the Kimbroughs.

That would be your last cigarette.

-Your last cigarette.

-That's an empty pack, by the way.

OK. And if you've got more, they're gonna be empty by the time you leave.

That's what we do in Atlanta.

The teens have made an immediate impression on the Kimbrough boys.

I thought my mom... I could tell she was trying to restrain her anger

because if that was anybody else she would have probably killed them.

I probably would get a whupping or I would probably get kicked out.

I'd probably have to go find somewhere to live.

This is the room of angels, so when you walked in the door, there was

an angel assigned to you, and when you walked across the threshold you became a part of our family.

-Wanda is apparently not aware that she has ever met an openly gay person.

-I'm a pretty boy.

-A pre... a pretty... a pretty boy?

-What's a pretty boy?

-A boy that's pretty.

-A boy that's pretty. A pretty boy.

In America pretty boy may mean something slightly different than it does in the UK.

What does pretty boy mean in America?

Pretty boy in America means that... erm.

-Pretty boy means that you are...

-Gay.

-A homosexual.

-Erm... to put it bluntly.

-Yeah, I am.

-Would that be you?

-Yeah.

-Oh.

-Don't worry, I'm not gonna like bum in your house or anything.

Oh, we're not concerned about that. We're not concerned about that.

-We're not concerned about you doing anything you don't have permission to do.

-OK.

They're either acting or they are actually insane.

Like no-one can actually be like that, I just don't believe it.

They're not all there. Let's just say they're not the full ticket.

Let me get the two of you to have a seat over here for me.

What, on this table?

Yeah, that table, the formal table for the formal...

The Kimbroughs call a meeting.

In every civilised society there are rules

for which we are to conduct ourselves, so that's what this meeting's all about.

Wanda and David want to make their expectations as clear as possible.

We're gonna give you the home rules contract for the Kimbrough family.

You don't have to commit anything to memory.

There is a consequence for every action, so we want you to think before you act.

Education is extremely important in the Kimbrough home.

You are expected to maintain no less than a B+ average in every class.

Profanity is used by people with limited vocabularies and people with

the inability to intelligently express their displeasure.

The Kimbrough Family is highly intelligent and only uses language that illustrates our intelligence.

Would you please move the clipboard because I want to be able to see your facial expressions.

Thanks. When you are being reprimanded or corrected,

you are required to respond, yes, ma'am, no, ma'am, yes, sir, no, sir.

There is no smoking.

There is no drinking. All of that is strictly prohibited.

Christianity is very important to the Kimbrough Family.

We encourage every family memory to foster a personal relationship with God.

This family attends church two times per week, your attendance is not optional.

I just can't believe that people actually live like this.

It's just...it's so different from our life.

We need you to sign the copies that are before you.

For their eight-day stay, Chez's and Bex's behaviour will be subject to the Kimbrough's 1,000 word contract.

All them rules, there was four pages of rules.

-Four pages and they've all got a title.

-With bullet points.

Verbal communication.

-They are a bit snobby.

-Oh, my god.

They will break before we break, because we are not quitters.

The teens may have put pen to paper but they're not in the habit of playing by the rules.

OK, now?

Ash!

If they could see us now!

-They're actually really shocked and they think we're really naughty and stuff.

-Eeep!

Quick!

Can't win.

Where's me spray... we'll have a quick.

I've got no other smelly stuff.

I can't get it out.

Why do we smell smoke?

Where?

-No.

-I've been pretty cool, calm, and collected but you really don't want to make me angry.

So it seems to me somebody's been smoking.

Did you step out on the balcony, did it blow back in?

Please tell me you wasn't smoking in my home.

-We weren't smoking.

-So why do we smell smoke?

It might be cos I've opened my suitcase because half the stuff in there is...

Oh, OK. Are you sure?

-Well, yeah.

-Just so that you know, I am livid.

And I'm livid because I think that you're being untruthful.

And I don't believe the crap for one moment that you opened

your bag and that much smoke came out of your bag.

What I expect most of all is for you to be truthful and I don't believe that you're being truthful.

You did not just open your bag and the smell of smoke came out, that is a lie.

So admit that it was a lie.

It was a lie.

Were you smoking in here?

No, on the balcony.

That's disappointing.

That's after you clearly understood the rules.

There is no smoking inside the house.

-Or out.

-There is no smoking outside the house.

There is no smoking in America as far as you're concerned.

That is utterly disrespectful.

Do you understand that as long as you are in America

under my authority, under our authority, there will be no smoking?

Do you understand that?

-Yeah.

-Yes, ma'am.

-Yes, ma'am.

-Do you understand that, Bex?

-Yes, ma'am.

Privacy is a privilege in the Kimbrough household.

Wanda and David inspect their sons' rooms regularly. It'll be no different for Chez and Bex.

Chez, are you gonna wait in your room?

-Yeah.

-Thank you.

Being like told what to do and, like, you are a child,

you're not important, you don't matter personally.

It's just like...

I dunno.

It kinda makes you feel like shit, to be honest.

The Kimbroughs believe that teenage girls should dress modestly, Bex doesn't.

-Whoa, what is this?

-A skirt.

Where's the rest of it?

Why do you need a condom?

Well, if you like go out

and then you have sex.

So you're sexually active?

-Yeah.

-Are you married?

-No.

Well, we believe that sex is reserved for married people.

Chezden leaves the house without permission.

-Your son went for a walk.

-You let him go for a walk by himself?

He was gone before I knew it.

I heard the door close and I went...

-Who, Chez?

-Yes.

I'm actually shaking, I'm that angry.

I'm still glad I came cos it's experience and I'll learn from it,

but at the moment

all I've learned is that

black Christians are insane.

That's all I've learned.

-You took a trip?

-Yeah.

-You know you did that without permission?

-I know.

And while you were out walking, getting breath

-did you have another smoke?

-Yeah.

-Do you have cigarettes on you?

-No.

-How did you light the cigarette?

-What?

-Do you have a lighter on you?

-No.

-How did you light the cigarette?

-I've got matches on me.

-OK. Let me have them.

-I'm not giving you them.

-You're gonna give me the matches.

-No.

-Yes, you are.

-I'm not.

OK. I'm not gonna ask you again, you're in my house and we don't have matches in my house.

I'm not giving you my lighter or matches or anything.

You are gonna give me your matches.

-I'm not.

-Yes, you are.

-No I'm not, though.

OK. You wanna push me there? You wanna take me there?

-Yeah.

-You're in my house.

-I'm not going to give you the matches.

-Yes, you are.

-No I'm not.

OK, do you want me to take them cos I will if I have to.

-That's physical force, you can't do that.

-I don't care.

Yes, I can, you're in my house, you're a child, you're a minor.

In the US, you have to do what an adult says.

You are a minor, you're not grown, and in my house,

if I ask for matches, you've gotta give them to me.

So I'm gonna give you a chance to cooperate with me.

You're not in the UK, you're in my home.

Now give them up.

Right. I won't put them in your house then.

-I'm sorry? I didn't understand that.

-I won't put the matches in your house.

You don't need matches in my house, give them up.

Do you really think no-one's gonna have a lighter in America?

Yeah, there's plenty of people have lighters and matches in America

but what I expect of you is to be obedient.

It is quite unbelievable that two teenagers

that met 24 hours ago

could band together and wreak the havoc in one home that they have managed.

It feels like this is the end of the trip, and yet it's the first day.

I can't believe it.

Oh, I mean, I'm actually just gonna die.

ALARM BEEPS

Day 2 and it's another first for Chez and Bex.

Rather than getting ready to go out partying, they're getting ready to go to church.

-Are those navy or black?

-Navy.

OK, the ones you have on are better.

-All right.

-Cool. Can you come downstairs?

For the Kimbroughs it's essential that their new children make a good impression on the congregation.

Just remember that you're representing us and remember that

our roles there, we're not just parishioners, we are the head.

That's the pastor over there, I'm his wife, and what people

think about us as the leaders and our children is very important.

-We're stuck in America...

-There's a group there.

-With some religious freaks, yeah.

-I think the Bible's a load of shit.

I think it's a load of stoners who thought,

"Oh, we'll make some money out of that."

Like Bigfoot.

What are you going on about? Bigfoot's real.

GOSPEL MUSIC

Sunday is a big day in Atlanta.

There are 1,000 places of worship in the city and many of them are Baptist churches.

The Kimbroughs own their own church.

Their services last over three hours and they regard disrespectful behaviour as an offence to God.

They've never been to church so this is going to be a great experience

for them cos I think church is gonna...

-Church is gonna be good.

-The teens holy marathon begins with Sunday school.

I'll see you guys in about 20 minutes, OK?

Have you guys heard about children of Israel, have you read the Bible before?

Today's lesson is a detailed analysis of the Book of Ezekiel.

-Do you guys know what an idol is?

-What?

-Do you know what an idol is?

-Like American Idol?

Unknown to the teens, Wanda's office computer is linked up to the church's security cameras.

You awake?

You awake? OK. Now I'm gonna tell you, you want

to pay attention because when we go upstairs we stand in front of everybody and review our lesson.

So everybody says one thing about the lesson and...

It's really so unbelievable

and the whispering that they're doing is kinda driving me insane.

Spiritually they have been...

It's like I feel like they're plotting.

Does somebody have a question?

No, I'm just bored. Can we go, please?

Oh, OK. You wanna come and sit right here?

Can we go upstairs to get some fresh air?

No, not yet. We're almost done, all right? We've got about ten more minutes, OK?

-Do you want to go now?

-Yeah.

-Jeffrey?

-Yes, ma'am?

Good morning. Chez, where are you going?

-Uh-uh,

-Chez.

Chez!

Run, run, run, run, run!

-The hill, the hill.

-In the trees, in the trees!

All this God shit.

We're prisoners.

-Can't believe I'm stood in the

-BLEEP

-forest in the rain,

trying to have a fag with a Bible on my head, it's ridiculous.

I have no appreciation

for spending my Sunday morning, my Sunday morning of worship,

I have absolutely no appreciation for spending my Sunday morning

chasing two disorderly, disruptive teenagers in the rain,

absolutely no appreciation for that, none.

By running out of church,

the teens have offended everything the Kimbroughs hold dear.

No. Oh, my God.

You disobeyed my order.

I took you to the classroom and that's where I expected you to stay.

It is boring.

I don't care if it's boring, you don't get to choose.

-Well, we did!

-We couldn't take it any longer, we needed to go out.

Take it any longer? You were only there for five minutes.

Is there a mirror? My hair's a mess.

You don't get a mirror. You chose to go stand out in the rain,

so whatever fool you look like, that's what you're gonna look like

to the people that meet you for the first time.

I don't look like a fool, I just don't look as good.

Well, you don't look as good.

I feel bored and fed up, it's just so shit.

It's actually quite comfy here, innit?

Look at me. Don't use profanity in this sanctuary.

Every place in this building...

-Sit up! Take your arm down and sit up.

-No.

-You will.

-No, I won't.

-You will.

-No, I won't.

-You will not use profanity in this building.

-(LAUGHS)

You will not. Let's go!

'Guilt is always an indication...'

Yes, sir!

That God is working on the inside of you.

SHOUTING

Guilt comes as a result for you to look at your ways

and evaluate whether you are doing the right thing or not.

Remember it doesn't matter what it feels like.

Chez and Bex are made to sit through

the remaining two hours of the service.

-Sin is sin.

-Yes.

Wrong is wrong.

Ain't no big sin and no little sin.

All sin is sin.

It's all about the evils of drinking, smoking

and sex outside marriage.

For Chezden, it's a foreign language.

I can't change being gay, I can't change who I am.

Plus I think the temptation of sex and drinking

is just too much really.

They're very sheltered, like, and they don't understand.

I literally doubt half of the people in there have ever been laid.

The Kimbroughs treat Chezden and Bex to lunch in a restaurant.

Lord, we thank you for this food we're about to receive

and praise you for blessing the nourishment

for these wonderful bodies you have given us...

It's an opportunity to find out more about the teens' lives in Britain.

Do you have a boyfriend?

No.

I went out with a boy for two years and then we split up two years ago.

For two years! When did you start dating?

When I was 13.

-13?

-Yeah.

Like, when I bring guys home and I asked her, like,

why she doesn't ever talk to 'em proper.

She said it was cos she knows I don't keep 'em.

So at 16, you have open gay relationships.

No, not open. Like, I don't cheat on people or anything like that.

-No, she means...

-No, I mean...

-Other people know about it.

-I mean, it's not a private thing.

-It's not like a secret in the closet thing.

-No, no.

It's just right out, right out in the open.

Period.

-And your family, everyone's OK with that? Your mom?

-Yeah.

I'm just in shock that you're so carefree about it.

Usually a person's sexual experiences,

especially when they're not married, they're usually private.

You know, the teenagers here,

if they're sexually active and things like that,

-they're trying to keep it quiet.

-Sh-sh-sh!

-They're not....

Not for God and everybody to see and hear.

This has been a really good dinner.

-Yeah.

-I bet it has.

It felt real good to touch on it, very enlightening.

We still have all of food in front of us. We've lost our appetites.

-If we'd have told them how many people we'd slept with...

-Oh, my god! Oh, my god!

-They would have actually just died.

-I think they would have.

-Can you imagine?

-Maybe they'd have like a panic attack.

I think they've become a lot more comfortable

with sharing their feelings and their opinions,

and if we're gonna make an impact on them,

I think we have to first connect with them.

My guard is up.

I am not as, I guess, optimistic as David is,

because I feel as though they've said great things to my face

and they smile and it's "Yes, ma'am", and they're just so sweet.

It's almost like they're bipolar

or split personalities or Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.

Tomorrow, there'll be another challenge,

Chezden and Bex will be going to school.

They pretend school is gonna be different.

It's gonna be disastrous, I can feel it in my bones.

I mean, every time she says, "Are we going to school?",

I just think the embarrassment is gonna be so great,

it's gonna be headline news.

Upstairs, Chezden and Bex are preparing for school,

by packing a secret stash of cigarettes.

LAUGHTER

The Kimbroughs have insisted that the British teens

follow their new school's uniform regulations.

Do you tuck it all the way in?

I look like I've just got out of bed and haven't slept.

The Kimbroughs run a primary school together.

David is the Head, Wanda is the administrator.

Education is very important to my husband,

very important to me.

We really feel though

as though that if a person doesn't have a great education,

then their quality of life is compromised.

The British teens aren't the most promising of pupils.

Before Bex dropped out of college,

she was on the point of being thrown out.

And Chezden has had several formal warnings from his teachers.

-Hi, guys.

-Good morning.

-I'm Sister Patrice.

-Hi, I'm David Kimbrough.

-OK.

-Wanda Kimbrough.

-All right, Mommy and Daddy.

-Mommy and Daddy.

-Bex Kimbrough.

-I'm Chez.

-OK, Chez.

Guys, collars have to be buttoned appropriately.

Not a fashion show, so...

I just really need you to express to their teachers

-what our expectations are.

-OK.

We have zero tolerance for our children misbehaving in class.

Ready, let's go!

-Tell 'em bye.

-Bye!

Bye.

-Have a good day.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

It costs over £6,000 a year

to study at the Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy.

They have 100% success rate

at getting their pupils into university,

and they pride themselves on their hands-on approach to science.

-You all are gonna be joining a biology lab today.

-All right.

The first lesson is on animal anatomy.

The British teens are in for a bit of a shock.

Oh, my God.

The pupils work in pairs to dissect unborn pigs.

Urgh, this little piggy went to the market!

Bex objects.

I just don't like it.

It's like that's a baby pig, yeah, obviously,

and you're saying it's already dead,

but that's just like if one of you lot,

obviously only the girls, had a miscarriage -

"Oh, the baby's already dead,

"Open it up and see what we can find." I don't agree with it.

Bex has had enough.

Sorry.

But her escape route is blocked by lead teacher, Sister Patrice.

Chez!

You can't go in the boys' bathroom.

Anthony!

Tell me exactly, why did you walk out of class?

-Cos it was too much for me.

-Why?

They're dissecting a pig.

I felt ill and I need some fresh air.

-Did you ask your instructor for fresh air?

-No.

You don't walk out of class.

I was gonna be sick, so I'd rather be sick outside

than be sick in the classroom.

Can you let go of my arm, please? Let go of my arm.

Young lady, let me make something absolutely clear to you.

You are in our environment.

Yeah.

That means you must submit to the rules.

-You want me to be sick in your classroom?

-No.

-Ask the teacher to be excused.

-Whatever.

If you need to be excused, ask your instructor.

Chez, I'm going.

I can feel it in my mouth!

She feels a little nauseous, but she didn't ask your permission.

-She needs to ask permission before she walks out of the class.

-OK.

-We're fair. Do you understand me?

-Yes.

-"Yes, ma'am."

-Yes, ma'am.

And don't switch your neck at me, you're messing with the wrong one.

-What are you gonna do?

-What would I do? What would you do?

I'd knock you out, but obviously I can't.

No, you absolutely cannot.

Obviously.

-Stop drinking while I'm talking to you.

-No.

Let's go.

Oh, my God.

-That's my arm.

-Let's go.

-Don't touch me.

-You'd better get out of here.

-Don't pinch me.

-Let's go.

Stop touch... Urgh.

Do you absolutely think that I'm gonna allow you to disrupt my class?

Why do you keep pinching me?

Oh, I will pinch you.

You ain't gonna pinch me! Who do you think you are?

I am Sister Patrice,

you're not stepping in this entire environment and ruining it for...

What gives you the right to pinch me?

I can't be dealing with dissecting pigs at the end of the day.

That's absolutely fine,

but how do you expect to be a doctor without learning how to dissect?

-I don't wanna be a bloody doctor.

-Oh, really?

-Yes.

-Who said that?

-Me. I don't wanna be a doctor.

You don't know what you're gonna be yet.

-I know I don't wanna be a doctor.

-How do you know?

-Because I think I'd know if I want to be a doctor. I'm 17.

-OK.

If you're gonna succeed,

you're gonna have to push through what's uncomfortable.

I said all you had to do is speak with your instructor.

He's very fair.

-Do you understand me?

-Yeah.

I just have strong feelings about the pig and everything.

I could have asked the teacher to go out and get some fresh air,

but I felt so, like...

You know when it just... It just gets so much.

It gets so, where you've been...

Where this is like a new experience, as well,

like coming here from England, and then... Thank you.

And then you come here and like there's a pig on the table

and it's just...

I just wanted some fresh air, that's all it was.

But you don't have to run out, that's what little children do.

You're 17.

I don't expect you to act like a little child.

So understand you cannot throw a temper tantrum like a two-year-old,

lay out on the floor, and expect to be respected.

It's not like that, sweetheart.

Let's learn how to be a big girl,

cos at 17 you want to be considered a big girl,

but you don't want to act like one.

-I'm not a big girl, that's the thing.

-Yes, you are. Yes, you are.

Back in Britain, none of Bex's teachers

were able to persuade her to remain in college.

Let's get started! Let's stand up, let's pray.

Put your books away! Let's go.

Sister Patrice asked the pupils to deliver a short speech

on the subject of...greatness.

I am great because I think I am.

Validity comes with self-knowledge and self-reassurance.

Therefore, in knowing my worth,

my greatness shines through automatically.

I am great because I have the courage and strength

to be my own person,

stand out from the crowd and grow into a confident man.

Nice! Nice!

-Do I have to read it?

-Sure.

-If it's well long?

-It's not that long.

Right. Greatness has been pronounced over me

because I was given an opportunity

to start having respect for others and myself,

and also to start believing in myself,

and gradually it is working.

For example, in England I do what I want when I want,

like I'm addicted to horse tranquilliser.

LAUGHTER

Bex used to be a model student.

Her behaviour changed four years ago after a family tragedy.

My brother died, like, two and a half weeks before my 13th birthday.

He was severely disabled, but we did get on.

Like, I loved him to pieces.

Bex was always very close to Jays.

Bex was there when Jays died.

And then after Jays died, she just turned into the teenager from hell.

Bex's relationship with her mum has never recovered.

I think my mum hates me

and she envies me cos she does always say

she wished it was me that died instead of Jamie.

Bex has been away from her parents for four days -

time enough for her mum and dad to put their regrets in writing.

"We want to both apologise once again from the bottom of our hearts

"for what we both said regarding you dying instead of Jamie.

"It was a horrible thing to say

"and we are disgusted, embarrassed and ashamed by that outburst.

"You've been abusing your body with sex, drugs and alcohol,

"your own choice, which we see as a kick in the teeth.

"Jamie on the other hand didn't get a choice,

"he was born with cerebral palsy.

"You have no disabilities, so why abuse your body?"

I'm sorry, but I think that's the most shittiest letter ever.

I'm pissed off because... She's just wound me up.

I'm sorry, but...

Ugh. She could have been like,

"Hello, darling, hope you're having a good time,

"We miss you loads, can't wait to have you back!"

And made me feel nice and like I wanna go home.

But I might as well stay here.

The British teens have been staying

in one of the most comfortable areas of Atlanta,

but Wanda and David's childhoods were anything but comfortable.

And like Bex, Wanda suffered bereavement at an early age.

# Hallelujah! #

One of the things that drives me is growing up without parents.

My father was brutally murdered when I was three,

my mom died 18 months later.

So I went to live with a grandmother who was already a senior citizen.

So she provided for me and did a great job,

but just that void was always there

to have that mom to take me here, that dad to take me there.

I thank God for living.

I thank Him that I can eat all I want when I want.

David's father fell gravely ill when he was young

and the stress of caring for him and bringing up ten children

contributed to his mother's early death.

As a result, David's now passionate about being a good dad.

When it comes to parenting, I don't think there is a failure,

except the failure to do all you should have done.

So these British teenagers,

we're gonna do everything we can

and we're gonna treat them just like they're our kids.

It's just a few days.

That's all we need is a few days.

Chezden has never known his father.

He's close to his mother, but she's in poor health.

It's like she had an heart attack, which wasn't my fault.

I don't want to sit at home looking after my sick mum.

The Kimbroughs call Chezden's mother

to find out just how much he does to look after her.

Are you saying that the only job Chezden does at home

is washing up the dishes

and you pay him to do that, but he doesn't do anything else?

No, no.

Here, I teach my sons that if there is a lady in the home,

she is to be treated like a queen and we serve her.

The Kimbroughs decide to teach Chezden a lesson about chores.

Well, we're gonna let you do some chores under your dad's authority.

He's not my dad. How many times!

It's like you're trying to annoy me.

You're trying to wind me up and you're being smarmy saying it.

Hey, do me a favour.

-Stop saying...

-No, no.

-No, that is winding me up.

No. Don't tick me off.

-That is winding me up.

-You're not gonna...

You're not my dad!

You're not gonna sit at my table and talk to her like that.

You are not my dad!

I don't care if I'm your dad, I'm not trying to be your dad.

I'm an adult that's supervising you.

I don't want you to be referred to as my dad.

I don't care what you want at this point.

You don't respect me, I don't respect you.

You get nothing.

-I don't have to talk to you in a soft, loving tone.

-I just wanna go home.

I don't care what you want right now and you ought to figure that out.

You can go up to your room. Not you, Chez.

I'm going to calm off outside.

-You're going where?

-I'm going to calm off.

Chez!

-It just shows you his level of immaturity...

-Yeah.

Because this is not what a family unit is about.

You don't just walk out and throw that person to the dog

-because they've pissed you off.

-Right.

He talks all day about what's wrong with us,

but never really talks about what's wrong with him.

He's never had anybody, I don't think,

to get in his face like you've done

and he is gonna have a very hard time regrouping.

What do you think about that exchange?

It was crazy.

What was crazy about it?

I mean, all he had to do was sit here and listen.

Instead, they kept on talking back and stuff,

-then just storming out like that.

-Yeah.

-I'm pale and shaking.

-I know, I've seen you shaking.

When you're in a small space,

that's seen as threatening behaviour,

and it's like I'm not a violent person, but I was scared.

There's no way I could win against him,

he's a really tall big, black guy,

but I was scared I was gonna do something stupid and lash out

and it'd just ruin the whole experience, that's all.

It's well over an hour

before Chezden is calm enough to return to the Kimbroughs.

-Hello.

-Hi.

-Hi.

You walked out that door, you didn't ask for permission.

You showed your immaturity,

that I'm a child and I can throw a temper tantrum

and when I get angry, I can just walk off.

That's what children do.

But you crossed that threshold.

It requires respect.

Respect for my rules, you're in my home.

So if you want to stay here tonight and sleep tonight,

you owe me, you owe Mrs Kimbrough an apology, both of you.

You don't have to agree with me and I'm not asking you to,

but you gotta respect me.

Ain't but one head in this house and that's me.

If you can't abide by that, then we're done.

Oh, my God.

"Mr David Kimbrough is the authority of this house,

"he has the final word."

"The teen's signature

"does not necessarily express

"his or her agreement with the terms of this contract,

"but unequivocally denotes the teen's understanding

"of the rules and the consequences herein."

So again, if you're gonna sleep here tonight,

you're going to apologise for your actions.

Sorry for being disrespectful.

I accept your apology. Welcome home.

-Can I please go to the loo?

-Yes, you may go to the loo.

I'm sorry for raising my voice and being rude in your house.

The apology's accepted.

Welcome home.

'I'm just not used to confrontation.'

And I've never had, like, a dad,

so I've never had a male presence, shouting in my face.

As day five dawns,

it appears that David's words have got through to Chezden.

He gets up early

and completes all his household chores without complaint.

Chezden's obedient behaviour continues at school.

Bex isn't quite so obedient.

Facebook is not on the Computer Studies' curriculum.

-Get off me.

-You do not do that, you know that.

And you already know that. Come here, let me talk to you.

Back home, Bex has given up on her education,

but Sister Patrice has not given up on her.

I need a fag and I'm going for one.

I am, I'm sorry I'm going for one.

I don't care any more.

We don't allow smoking on campus. We don't allow students to smoke.

So she's leaving campus in order to try to do what she'd like to do.

It's very unfortunate for her.

She's just continuing to destroy herself.

Why are you determined to hurt yourself?

I'm not determined to hurt myself.

Yes, you are.

I just need a fag.

No, sweetheart, you're killing yourself.

This is killing me.

I know it's hurting your feelings, but that's different.

So why are you determined to destroy yourself?

I'm not determined to destroy myself.

Yes, you are, sweetheart.

You're 17 years old, you know how you're living?

You're living like a person

that's been out of life for quite some time.

You're more worried about me and how my life's going

and like my family's just worried about rules and stuff.

Now listen.

There's a concept, whether you believe it or not,

that exists called mercy.

But you have got to think about the repercussions of your actions

and you're not doing that.

OK, so you weren't born into this family

here at Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy,

but we've already accepted you

with all of your craziness and everything.

Do you realise that if a student smokes here

they are kicked out of school automatically?

They don't have a second chance.

So if you are given mercy, you've got to show your family mercy.

Whether you agree or not is not important.

You're still a child by law.

We're trying to show you how to be a better person.

ALL: ..Lead us not into temptation But deliver us from evil

For Thine is the kingdom, the power And the glory for ever. Amen.

Bex finds a new enthusiasm for school.

Ha ha ha! Look! None of you can get the ball off me!

She's a sweet child, she really is.

It's inside of her,

but she doesn't necessarily see that part of her all the time.

And quite often, because people might expect negativity,

she gives what they expect.

When you don't expect negativity,

it's amazing how positivity can reign.

Chezden's second day at school

has been an extremely positive experience.

He's applied himself, stayed out of trouble, and won plenty of friends.

He's really funny

and he's been keeping me laughing since he's gotten here,

so I kinda don't want him to leave.

You gave it a chance and that's all we asked this morning

is that you give it chance, not throw in the towel.

You know, not be rude, be disobedient,

just give it a chance and you did, and that's really, really great.

I am so proud of you.

Thank you for that.

Today, we went to school

and everyone's just really, really respectful.

And I know it sounds so sad,

but unless you've come here and experienced it for yourself,

you don't know what it's like.

It's like,

you can just feel the love, you know what I mean?

Tonight, Sister Patrice has set some homework

to compose a poem about invisibility.

The Kimbroughs' house rules require all grades to be B+ or higher,

so Wanda asks to read Bex's poem before it's submitted.

-All of this is your poem?

-Yeah.

-Wow!

What if it's rubbish?

Oh, don't start out by saying it's rubbish.

"I put on a mask

"The fake Bex

"But the true Bex is still here

"I'm just hiding.

"Devil Bex came about four years ago

"And she hasn't gone away

"I'm scared that the true Bex

"Is not only gone invisible

"But is going to disappear for ever."

I didn't expect that.

Wow.

Oh...

Whoo.

Pretty powerful, huh?

Yeah.

I don't even think you realise what you wrote.

I know that I do wrong

and there's something saying you shouldn't do this,

and I see the effects I have on people.

And you really do care.

You care about life, you care about people.

And I really believe that you mean that

when you say "I'm only concerned about today,

"I'm just living for today, I just wanna have a good time."

But I'm also very excited to know

that somewhere deep in your conscience,

you know that it's something greater than that.

And that is so very hopeful to me.

That is brilliant.

Ahh...

I've got issues, ain't I?

OK.

Bex is starting to rethink her life back home.

Now I can see I'm not a daughter from hell.

I was, like, such a cow.

I had no respect whatsoever,

done what I want when I need, do you know what I mean, like?

Everything was about me and I didn't take into, like, account other people's feelings.

That's more than I could have ever asked for and I fought those tears with everything.

I mean, I literally felt my guts shaking

because I didn't want to get that emotional, but it was very

overwhelming to me, because I feel as though...

..in some big way,

that we have made an impact

in just this short period of time.

Now she's starting her sixth day with the Kimbroughs,

obeying the rules is becoming second nature to Bex.

I'm very, very impressed.

Thank you so much for getting up this morning and walking in obedience, I really appreciate that.

Sister Patrice calls Wanda into the school for a meeting about the homework.

We graded them and I want to let you know both received an A on their poems.

-That is terrific.

-OK.

I just finished talking to Sister Patrice about school, about homework.

She was ecstatic about your poems, but what you don't know is that you both got an A on those poems.

Did we? I got an A! That's my first A I've ever really got in my life!

-That is spectacular.

-Well done.

-I was really proud.

-I can't believe it!

-It's fantastic.

To make them be proud of me makes me feel happy.

Just being here and going to school and hearing that they want to be, like, lawyers and stuff is like, wow.

Whereas me, I fell into the wrong crowd...

and then just...

my goals, just like my dreams, went out the window.

After six full days on the Kimbroughs' private estate,

David and Wanda decide to give the British teens a change of scene.

It's an opportunity for David to reveal that,

like Chezden, his childhood was blighted by parental illness.

We have a old saying here in the United States that you don't miss the well till the water runs dry.

You become so complacent and you're so used to going to that well every day and getting water out of it

and drinking and refreshing yourself that you don't take time to appreciate it.

You don't even take time to thank God for the well, and I think a lot of time we do our parents that way.

We overlook the sacrifices and all the things they're doing for us.

I know. I think we just need to find the right balance

cos it's like my mum does so much for me and it's like...

I don't do hardly anything, you know?

-Now I think of it, it's like it's nothing compared to what she does for me.

-Yeah.

If you don't go back home and change and become the Chezden

that she has raised and been trying to strategically place on the right road,

you will look back on your life when she's gone and say,

"I wish I had done more for Mom."

And that feeling will torment you beyond anything you can imagine.

When you get home, you should treat your mom like the queen she is.

Wanda decides to open up to Bex about her own childhood.

By the time I was five and I started kindergarten,

both my parents were already deceased.

So any relationship that can be salvaged -

especially between a mom and a daughter -

is really important to me, really important to me.

There are days that I just want a hug or to hold my mom's hands,

my teenage years.

I mean I've gone through my entire life with this huge void in my heart.

You have your mom and I don't want you to...

..throw that away.

You've had probably the most worst life I've known, like,

anybody I know, the worst one, and yet you still smile every day.

And you're just such an inspiration to me.

I made a choice.

I made a choice that I wasn't gonna allow

all the things that I thought were so unfair to me in life

make me be a terrible person.

And I feel like if anybody has excuses...

..I have legitimate excuses, but I've chosen

to throw them all on the ground and jump up and down on them

and say, "You know what, no excuse is good enough, none."

So you don't have any excuses.

Do you have a desire to give up drugs?

I'm done, I'm not touching drugs.

-You're not gonna touch them any more?

-No.

-Wow.

The drugs just mess your life up so much.

I'm stronger than that and I know I don't need drugs.

Thank you so much.

How did your chat with Wanda go, then?

I cannot believe some of the stuff that she's gone through.

That is just unreal, and for her to still...smile every day.

You know how like they're so strong about God and Christianity?

-Yeah.

-I think that, you know, I know they're excessive,

but I think it's a good thing, because if she didn't have God,

could you imagine what she'd be like?

Yeah. I honestly do look up to her in so many ways.

She's just so lovely, and yet she hasn't had a mum

and she said she just wanted one to, like, hold her hand.

I've got my mum and...

I don't appreciate her at all, and now I will.

Bex and Chez's time with the Kimbroughs is almost at an end,

but it's not quite over yet.

SURPRISE!

Whooo!

The Kimbroughs have invited the entire church congregation

to a surprise party in honour of Chez and Bex.

'I'm gonna go home and I think are just gonna be a lot better with my mum.

'I think I've learned to be a lot more respectful. Jesus?'

He seems all right.

I might look him up when I get back in England.

Do you reckon he's in t'Yellow Pages?

# We worship you... #

It has been an amazing honour to parent Chezden.

I was very

sceptical about having an openly gay 16-year-old in my home,

but I understand now that that was

mainly because of my ignorance and because of my fears.

-Be blessed.

-Thank you so much.

'Bex, I hope that in sharing our personal life struggles with her'

that in her quiet moments, that she really thinks about some of the things that I've told her.

Gonna sort my life out, and I'll make an effort with my mum

cos I realise that mums are really important and I shouldn't disrespect her.

I'm gonna have respect for myself, so I'm not gonna like do the drugs anymore, cos you don't need them -

I had fun without them - and then just get my life on track and start again.

-Chez.

-I love you.

-I love you.

-Love you both.

-Love you, too.

The teens now have the chance to make a new start back home.

It has changed me. I should be doing a lot more cos that's what you do for me.

I'm gonna start doing more stuff round the house for you, start looking after you.

Oh.

'The way things were before...'

..I think I'd have been in an early grave with him.

I can see the change. A big change.

Fingers crossed.

Hi!

-Have we left the horrible Bex behind?

-Yeah.

Got rid of her in the Atlantic?

-Yeah.

-Oh, good, good, good.

Next time on The World's Strictest Parents...

Public school drop-out, Peter Wrigley...

He's become very pompous, very arrogant.

That is all vodka, boy.

..and party-loving hedonist, Jocelyn Harris...

You do smoke cannabis, we all know that.

I'm not gonna stop drinking and like never take drugs again.

..get new parents in India.

You went through my stuff, that's like my belongings.

Please let me make it very clear, my children won't defy me.

-Get out of my way, seriously.

-Wait, wait.

I'm dreading what we've got planned for the rest of the BLEEP week,

-if we start the first day doing this shit.

-Phew! Shocking.

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