Belize The World's Strictest Parents

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.

-BELL RINGS

Some people might say that my parents are strict but we would rather call it love.

But can traditional parenting

change the lives of rebellious British teenagers?

I need some more booze. Where is my booze?

As soon as someone says "You will do this," I say "No."

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

Big lack of respect for authority.

I go to bed whenever I want, I wake up whenever I want.

SHE GIGGLES

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

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

Don't embarrass 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 will 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're out of your mind. In the US, you have to do what an adult says.

They are actually insane.

The British people's moral fabric is disintegrating.

Please can I have some money to go to town, please?

About how much? £5 will do.

-No.

-What do you mean no?

16-year-old Calvin Curlew always wants his own way.

-How do you expect me to learn?

-You've not been doing your chores properly so...

Oh, my God! Oh, my God!

The only thing I think about my mum is financial support.

Your mum has done so much for you and you just...

No. My mum's done what a mum should do.

And what's that?

Um, have a roof over my head, give me money, buy me clothes, give me food...

If she wouldn't do them things for me then she wouldn't be my mum.

As he's got older his respect and his manners

and a little bit of his behaviour has just gone through the door.

Single mother Rose fostered Calvin when he was a baby.

She has three elder daughters.

We all grew to love Calvin. At the age of five Calvin's adoption came through.

It was a very proud moment.

But since becoming a teenager Calvin's relationship

with his adopted mum has completely broken down.

My relationship with my mum is nonexistent.

We have very extreme arguments just about silly little things because

we're both as stubborn as each other so we won't back down.

You know what my problem is with you...

His selfish behaviour is alienating his older sisters.

Everyone else is fair with you, you're just selfish.

By kicking down the door, shouting and stamping his feet he thinks he's going to get his own way.

So if Mum shouts at me that's not respect.

-Then I won't give her respect.

-Calvin, when have I shouted at you?

-Well, you haven't...

-Who fights your battles...

This is what you come across like...

You come across like you want to start an argument with me.

At the end of the day, I wouldn't be here if I didn't really love you.

You are a complete arsehole sometimes and it does my head in.

That's it.

Down in Brighton, Rosie Harley will do anything to avoid her parents.

I just prefer spending more time away from my house than anything else.

I don't like spending time with my family.

She has got no respect for me whatsoever.

She's always shouting at me, swearing at me.

There's so much lack of communication.

-I don't like speaking to you.

-Why don't you like it?

-I just don't like speaking to you.

-You won't even go into town with me any more.

It's your personality, I don't like it.

I don't believe you just said that...

Rosie recently left school and is intending to go to art college

but she refuses to lift a finger around the house.

I go out as much as possible so that I don't have to do anything,

when I do go out I just sit on the grass somewhere with my friends and laze around anyway.

We don't do very much.

If she's asked to do anything round the house, literally anything, Rosie will just refuse to do it,

run off to her bedroom, slam the door, turn her music right up

and we're left just scratching our heads.

Since Rosie's dad left, her mum has struggled to raise her alone.

Rosie's dad left when she was 12 months old

and he didn't see her for the first four years of her life,

although I kept phoning him up every week, "When are you coming down?"

I used to see my dad often but now I only see once a year

and if I don't see him then he'll post my presents to me for my birthday and Christmas.

She doesn't talk to me about her feelings.

I do try and sit with her but it's always "Get lost,"

or "Go away, I hate you, I don't want to speak to you, you would never understand."

We don't have this mother-daughter connection any more, this bond that we used to have.

I would like...

Rosie to, um...

Sorry...

I think I'd like to, um...

have Rosie to love me a bit more.

To try and get their lives back on track, both families have agreed to send their wayward child

to live with new parents on the other side of the world.

Say goodbye.

-Let's hope you come back as a different person.

-Yeah, right.

Yeah, without the attitude.

She needs a wake up call, really, she needs some discipline.

I just hope she realises what sort of teenager she really is.

Have a good time but remember what you're going for.

All right, then.

-Bye.

-I'll miss you.

Yeah. Take care. Right, bye.

At times I think Calvin takes things for granted

and I just want him to see a different side of, um, different culture and how they live.

Hello. Hi, you're beautiful.

I love your lipstick. Mwah.

Let's rock and roll.

The British teens are heading here, Belize,

a former British colony in Central America.

It's population of just 300,000 is a cultural melting pot,

including descendents of African slaves,

Mayan Indians and European conquistadors.

It's also home to the Perez family.

There's dad Earl, mum Rosie,

18-year-old Lucy-Jane,

Bobby, 16,

and 7-year-old Ethan.

We are God-fearing, we demand respect, especially from our kids.

Rosie is a school administrator

and believes that children should have total respect for authority.

You don't talk when I am talking! Have some manners!

If I say jump they need to ask me how high, and that's me. Just ask me "How high?"

You give me two, three other words I didn't ask for, then...

I think you are overstepping.

Dad Earl manages a lumber yard.

He ensures his family follow a strict moral code.

I will discipline you in whatever manner I see fit to ensure that you have a bright future.

We are raised on old-fashioned traditions

and that includes,

from time to time, whipping if we are bad.

With seven children under their belt Mr and Mrs Perez are convinced

that every child must work hard to contribute to family life.

When I come home in the evening times

my chores are to clean the house, sweep it,

um, do the laundry and do my homework,

make sure Ethan takes a bath.

And I also have to do the cooking in the evening times.

If I don't wash up, that has to be a big problem, and fold the clothes.

Now that their four older children have left home

the Perezes have recently adopted a little boy, Ethan.

Eat your meat, OK?

A few months ago I adopted little Ethan from the children's home.

He came in from school with a little torn-up school bag,

and I felt sorry for him and I said to him, "Do you want to go and live with me?"

And he said yes, and he was smiling,

and that is where it all started.

After 15 hours of travelling,

Calvin feels a long way from Nottingham.

It looks so rural.

It's not like a town, it's like rivers and trees

and I'm not used to that at all so I'm getting a bit worried now.

The Belizean landscape covers everything from Caribbean beaches

to tropical rainforest and jungle.

But like half the population, the teens will be staying in the capital city Belmopan.

I'm a little bit nervous about what the family are going to be like.

-For the time being I just need to relax...

-Yeah.

-And calm down, cos...

-We're in Belize!

-Hello.

-How do you do?

Nice to meet you. I'm Calvin.

My family, Bob, my wife.

-Hello.

-How do you do?

-Hi, Rosie.

-Hi.

-Hello.

-I'm Rosie.

-And little Ethan.

-Hi, I'm Rosie.

-I'm Rosie.

-What's your name?

-Rosie.

-Really?

-Yeah.

For the next seven days, Rosie and Calvin will live according

to the exact same rules as the Perez children.

That'll be your bed.

-This one's mine.

-OK.

-You'll be sharing this room with LJ.

-OK.

This, you like it?

-Very nice.

-Thank you.

-How old are you?

-I'm 16.

-And you?

-16.

-Oh. Same age as Bobby.

LJ is 18.

-How old is...

-Seven.

He's our adopted son.

-Oh, I'm adopted too.

-You're adopted?

-Yeah.

-We just adopted...

You are lucky. You are lucky.

I just hope you achieve your objective

and you will get to see

a part of a third-world country life, culture.

Nothing comes easy.

Hard work, son. We are going to go to the farm.

-You have a farm?

-Yes, we have a farm.

-I don't like animals.

-You don't like animals?

-Do you have to work on the farm?

-Yeah.

Don't be scared.

I don't want to be horrible but I don't like it.

It's so different, I'm not used to this at all.

I'm scared.

They seem like really nice people

and it's just such a together family.

Like their daughter's 18 and she's still living at home.

It's, like, amazing.

Calvin and Rosie...

waiting on you guys.

Before they fully welcome the teenagers into their home

Mr and Mrs Perez want to make their expectations absolutely clear.

We have rules.

No smoking.

I smoke and so does she.

We do no smoking here, period.

I will smoke if I want to.

I'll go outside and do it.

You're not do it around here, you have a long way to go.

Everyone in the house is supposed to be up in the morning by 6.30.

6.30 is too early.

I've never had rules.

Everybody is supposed to work for their earning, for their food,

in this house and on the farm.

Very important. Children are not allowed to hang out in the street.

There are times when you just need to get away,

you just need some space and if that's on the street, then I'll go.

OK, just look at it, we've been experiencing a lot, a lot of problem in Belize with the youths.

They have been after drugs, they have been alcohol, cigarette, they don't like to go to church,

they just want to do what they feel like doing.

That's me.

And we would like...

to see our kids not be one of them.

OK.

I am keeping my cigarettes on me at all times.

If she tries to touch them, I will actually smack her.

Definitely keeping my cigarettes.

Are you crazy, she'll take them and destroy them? I'll destroy her.

SHE LAUGHS

We've dealt with wild horses, we've had them eating out of our hands in a short period of time

so there's no reason why we can't break them.

In the Perez household, the kids are expected to cook the evening meal.

You will help LJ prepare something for us to eat and yourselves.

-OK?

-OK.

-Let's go, guys.

Calvin, as soon as the girls are ready you will be coming to help as well.

Straight away, Rosie is showing her disapproval of Perez family values.

It's just some of these rules, I just don't approve at all.

-Mmm?

-It's just stupid, though.

-Yeah, those are our rules.

Not so stupid because they make my kids into be very, very strong.

-Why can't...

-So you can't call my rules stupid because they are not stupid.

I raised six kids and I adopted a little boy and I intend for him to,

for those rules to carry on making him strong as well.

-That's your family, though.

-But you are my family now, Rosie.

-I'm not.

-You are here with me for seven days, you are my family.

Their defiance was pretty shocking.

It was the first time I saw my mum, you know, being disrespected like that.

If I would do that to any adult in Belize

I would, like, get slapped.

My mum will have something in store for them that probably they won't like.

Are you getting there, Calvin?

The teens have been in Belize for just four hours

and are already feeling the strain.

I feel like I have done so much work already.

If my mum would have asked me to do this I would have point blank said no.

Calvin and Rosie!

Come on guys, Mama hungry now.

I'm getting hungry. You are moving too slow.

I'm hungry.

It's 6.30am, the Perez family's regular wake-up time.

Mr and Mrs Perez expect all their children to work for their keep at the family farm.

Rosie and Calvin are no exception.

Getting the kids to help me on the farm I am hoping that this will teach them a sense of responsibility.

I have my workshop that I do furniture

and I need to put in some windows to have the place secured and they are going to help me with that today.

They will get some benefit from it.

A sense of achievement, pride in it.

I want them to be proud of whatever they do.

The family's farm is an hour's drive from their townhouse.

Its 51 acres are home to horses, pigs

and 30 head of cattle.

Without a rest stop en route, the kids get the day off to a bad start.

You're smoking and she's coming round the corner.

-Is she?

-Yeah.

Rosie and Calvin, what's up?

-Can I have that match? Can I have the cigarette as well?

-I don't have any cigarettes.

Yeah, you do. What do you have in your hands there?

A lighter.

Ah. So what's this?

-I'm sorry, but I don't really care.

-Mm-hmm.

I, um...am not, I don't care what you say right now.

-Can I have the lighter, Rosie?

-No.

-Yeah. I'll have the lighter.

-Well, you're not having it, it's my lighter!

-I want it.

-I'm not giving it.

-I want the lighter.

No, no, no, no. OK?

OK. When we get home we'll see.

-All right?

-OK.

OK.

Who does she think she is?

Our mother, apparently.

On arrival, Mrs Perez wastes no time

in dishing out her punishment for the teens' defiant behaviour.

CATTLE MOO

We're not going in there are we? Are we going in there?

I'm not going in there.

Calvin and Rosie will be mucking out the pig pen, but to reach it

they must first navigate a way through a field of cows.

-No. No, no...

-Let's go Calvin.

-No!

They're not coming back.

They're not coming back, they're eating.

Oh, God.

-Count to five. One...

-Can I do another job?

Can I do another job?

No. That's what you get for smoking and not adhering to my rules.

I don't want you to run, Calvin, because there's nothing to be scared of.

I hate pigs.

Lots of work, dedication,

and that's how you become successful businessmen and women.

The teens have to hose out the pig poo from the pens.

It's proving too much for Calvin.

-I don't want to.

-The smell is fine.

The smell is fine, just hold your hose and control the water in there, Calvin. Let's go.

Hold it by the...

Ten minutes have gone. Ten minutes have gone.

With the punishment complete,

Mr Perez outlines the construction project he has planned for the week ahead.

I'll do anything just so I can get to bed sooner.

I don't want to do it but I can't be bothered to argue.

I'm just too tired.

I'm terrified about having to complete all those windows.

I don't know how I'm going to do it

but I guess I'll just like hide and slack off and smoke and stuff.

With help from some neighbours Rosie will prepare the wood and Calvin will construct the windows.

I need to sit down.

No. I'm tired.

I'm really, I need to like lie down or sit around or something.

You're tired?

The first day at the farm has not gone well for Calvin.

I hate the farm, I don't know how you do it. Do you enjoy it?

No, not all the time of course.

Yeah. Why do you do it then? Why don't you just say that you don't want to do it?

Because in the end I want to see it done,

I want to see what we have created.

A lot of the things we have here

we had to do it in order to have what we have.

So it's like if you want something you have to do it yourself.

Or get someone else to do it.

-Well, you see getting someone else to do it you have to pay them.

-Yeah.

It's day three.

The barn is taking shake but Calvin's still refusing to help.

I think you should get up and help the kids.

-Try to take a hammer and a nail.

-I already tried it and I can't do it.

-You can't do it?

-No.

Calvin, you've got to keep telling yourself you can,

not say I can't, I can't.

That will break you, that will bring you down.

Say can for a change, tell me that you can.

-I can't.

-No, Calvin.

Rosie's been moved onto general farm chores

and is surprised to find work can be rewarding.

In my household, I don't really, like, do anything at all,

I'm not proud of anything I've done because I don't,

it's like every time I'm, like, asked to do something I sort of

wiggle my way out it, I just can't be bothered to do things.

I do whatever they want

because whenever I need or want something

they'd be the first person to tell me that they will.

They may not at the same exact minute but eventually they will.

But for Calvin,

the concept of working for his keep is not to his liking.

You know what, Calvin?

I get enough of this shit. I get enough of this shit.

-Why should we find you all the time lying in bed?

-Too hot!

-No, That's not an excuse!

I am out there, the boys are out there...

-Bobby's out there.

-They're used to it, I'm not.

You need to get used to it as well.

-You make a little, I'm getting a little...

-It's too hot.

I'm getting a little embarrassed.

All the boys are out their working while you coming in here and be resting like a little girl.

-Come on.

-Whatever.

Nothing has been good living here.

I hate every second of it, especially Mrs Perez.

She orders me about a lot

and she's a bitch, she's a actual bitch, I hate her so much.

Like, the way she calls my name it...

it's always, "Calv-i-i-in!"

all the time.

Come on, Calvin, let's finish up.

Well, I don't want to. Well, I don't want to.

You have to because we got to finish the project.

-Do I have to?

-Yes, you have to!

-No, it's my choice if

-I

-have to. It's not YOUR choice

-and

-I

-don't want to, so, therefore, I am not going to!

I don't know where you are going. The house is all locked up.

To have a cigarette!

Where's the cigarette? Give me the cigarette.

-You're not having the cigarette.

-Give me the cigarette.

-Calvin.

-Oh, my God...

-Hand me the cigarette, Calvin!

-Calvin, I need that cigarette.

-I'll run away from you.

GIGGLING

-Can I get yours, Rosie? You have cigarettes as well?

-Yeah, but I'm not giving them to you.

-Why not?

-Because I bought them with my money...

-You'll get them back when you leave.

-No.

-I'm not giving you my cigarettes.

-I need your cigarette.

What don't you understand about no?

-No.

-You don't need them.

-No. No. No.

-You don't need them, Rosie.

-You don't need them here.

-I don't care.

Well, you don't take your cigarettes in my house. Period.

-That cigarette stay outside.

-Fair enough.

The teens' blatant lack of respect

has offended everything that the Perez family hold dear.

Maybe they will learn something and maybe they will change a little

but I don't think they're going to change as much as we all hoped they would.

I still have a couple more days to work with them, on them.

One little baby step is worth a try.

Determined that the British teens understand the impact

that they've had on her family,

Mrs Perez summons them for a talking to.

Rosie and Calvin,

you have torn...

deep in the heart of my kids...

and myself.

I have never, ever had kids talk to me like that before.

Never ever yet, in my whole entire life,

including teaching for 29 years.

You owe my children an apology.

I will apologise to your children but I'm certainly not apologising to you.

-Why?

-Because not only did I speak with you with disrespect,

you spoke to me with disrespect.

All I wanted was for you to get on with your work

and get something done and you can say "This is my work, I have done something."

-I did...

-I have been there, done that and know how to do all that stuff.

I am quite above this.

I have raised six kids and I never had one day where I had to confront my kids with this.

I'll apologise to your kids but I'm not apologising to you.

It won't work.

Um...

I'm very sorry that I shouted at your mum like that.

You've got to understand that we're not used to this at all.

We're sheltered, we're lousy at working, you know, that's us.

-We're just not used to this.

-At all.

-I'm sorry I had a go at your mum.

It is sad to see my mum,

that the person that I love so much to be treated like that.

If I would go to your house and your mum would ask me

to do the most ridiculous thing in the world

I would do it, put the biggest smile on my face,

even if I don't like it, even if it's out of the way,

I would do it for her because I respect her,

not only for myself, but for you, because I respect you.

And I just didn't, I didn't like it at all.

- Do you accept our apologies then? - I accept your apology.

-I'll accept it.

-I'm sorry.

I'm quite upset, actually.

SHE SNIFFS

I have underestimated the difference between the Belizean culture

and the English culture is a lot different.

I mean, her kids would never ever talk to her like that

but I'm sorry, overstepping the mark, it's just being pathetic.

Fair enough her kids wouldn't talk to her like that and stuff like that but it's like,

what is the big deal?

Mrs Perez never makes a threat she's not prepared to carry out.

She's decided that unless the teens give up their cigarettes they're not welcome under her roof.

They can sleep outside.

Children are supposed to know their boundaries.

If we as adults don't teach them,

lead them,

then they would never ever learn their boundaries.

It's either them or me,

and this is my turf.

I know it was hot and you were stressed out

but there was just no need to have a tantrum like that and run away.

She's giving us a roof over our head and she's feeding us with her...

-That's her choice to.

-..food. I know it's her choice...

But she's feeding us, she's looking after us while we're here. She doesn't have to.

Like tonight she's going to make us sleep outside. You know what I'm saying.

I'll apologise.

-It's hard isn't it?

-It'll be fine.

-Mm-hm.

Rosie and Calvin!

Come here.

Yeah, we're coming.

This is where you'll be sleeping.

Calvin and Rosie.

Um, we're going to give them over.

-Ah?

-We're going to give them over. We give up.

-You give up?

-We give up, yes.

-What?

-We give up. We're sorry.

We're going to give you the cigarettes now.

Come on! This was fun...

No, it's not. Do be honest, Rosie.

You're giving it up? I honestly wanted you guys to sleep out here

so it could teach you respect for your elders.

-OK?

-Mmm-hm.

-Sorry.

-Sorry.

OK, Rosie. OK, Calvin.

I brought these outside and I will not take them back in.

It's only right that you pick them up and take them. This was your bed.

I'm scared to walk through the grass.

Grateful to be back inside, Calvin is making more of an effort.

And here is your burger.

'I feel quite sorry, the fact that I spoke to her with such disrespect.

'I'm definitely becoming aware of how me being selfish affects others.'

I guess I should have thought about it at the time but...

obviously I was too caught up in my own...problems.

HORSE WHINNIES

Mrs Perez believes Rosie and Calvin have no concept of how comfortable their lives are back in England.

She wants them to appreciate what it's like to grow up in the developing world.

Today we are going to my village where I grew up, Calvin.

It's very important that I take you there

to see where I am started, moulds me to the person that I am today.

Strong, determined,

appreciative, respectful...

of what I now have.

Rural life in Belize is tough.

Most families are only able to grow enough food to feed their nearest and dearest.

My dad was a farmer.

If the weather's good...

then we'll get food.

If the weather is bad then we just have to make do with what we have.

At times, my parents had to take us out of the school

to go and do the planting of the corn and the rice.

If we didn't do it, we didn't get food

so it's a matter of doing it for survival.

After a 20-minute drive, they arrive at Mrs Perez's uncle's house,

a place where she spent much of her youth.

Morning.

The Perez's extended family have always pulled together in times of hardship.

In the village here there is no running water, we have to get water

either by buying a pump now,

um, or we are getting it from the river...

And that river comes all the way from Guatemala.

-Yes.

-So it was whatever Guatemala throws in their river up yonder, we drink it down here.

-I couldn't imagine living without running water.

-Yes.

I am old, I am 81 years

and I live right here.

Here we have flood here, big flood.

This house here, water was right up here.

-How did you cope in the flood?

-We have to fall asleep on tree until the flood...

-Really?

Meeting Mrs Perez's family is having a humbling effect on Calvin.

There's nothing out here at all and the fact that you've got two homes, a big farm,

you love your children, your children are successful

and it's hard to get my head around how you did it all...

..when there's nothing.

As the kids prepare the evening meal

the British teens are finally starting to feel part of the family.

Chef Calvin!

I think these are done.

Bobby, LJ!

Tea time!

THEY LAUGH

"Calv-i-i-in! Come here!"

That's what she does.

Before Belizeans can graduate high school,

it's mandatory for them to carry out volunteer work.

Mrs Perez is sending Rosie and Calvin to a children's home

to offer their services.

It's a great opportunity for them to reflect on their lives.

They have a lot of love, their parents give them a lot of love

and they are not responding to their parents.

I am hoping this is an opportunity for them

to give some love.

Delphina Mitchell is a director of the charity-funded

Liberty Children's Home and surrogate mum to 41 children.

-Hello.

-Good morning.

-Hi, how are you?

-Hello, Calvin.

-Hi, I'm Rosie.

Oh, you're cute, Rosie. Hi.

These are my two kids. They're yours.

OK, well thank you and I'll see you this afternoon.

Bye.

Well, welcome to Liberty, Calvin and Rosie.

What backgrounds do most of the kids come from?

Most of them that are here they are here because they have been

neglected, abandoned, physically abused and some of them sexually abused.

They can be a handful sometimes.

They require a lot of attention, they like attention.

Because I understand this is to be a learning experience for you guys

what I expect at the end of the day tomorrow that you guys could kind of give me a report back

on how your time was spent. OK?

Now let's go over and meet your baby.

Rosie's job is to look after the youngest child in the dormitory,

who is just 18 months old.

This is Mastashi, Mastashi, this is Rosie and she is our volunteer.

Hello, Leah.

Hello. Hi.

This is Miss Rosie.

You want to say hi to Rosie.

-I don't know if she liked me.

-Well, she's got to get used to you.

Here's a hug.

-No problem?

-Oh, she's heavy.

-Does it feel like she has her arms on you?

It's, uh, strange, you know.

I'm not used to comforting.

Sensitiveness in your heart, it will try make you learn to want to be with them more,

even want to figure out what about them, you know.

I mean, right here is first start.

-What's your name?

-Shannon.

-Shannon. And you are?

After spending just a few hours with the kids,

Calvin reflects on how different his life could have been had his mum not permanently adopted him so young.

The kids are so amazing.

I just wish they had parents to give their love to.

-Have you always known you've been adopted?

-Always.

I've always known that I'm adopted, my mum's never hidden it from me.

How do you get along with your mum?

-I just don't feel a bond with her.

-You don't?

I don't want her to think that it's because she's not my birth mother

but, um, at times...

at times I do think it's because of that.

-Do you have fantasies about your birth parents?

-Yeah.

What they would look like, how they would be, if they are looking for you too?

Yeah, I definitely do.

I definitely do, I think about like what they look like.

Like, how they talk and how tall they are and if they look like me.

Do you have any resentment? Do you maybe feel that maybe

you were not wanted and so you feel maybe something was wrong with you that you were not wanted?

Yeah, at times. At times, I think it's my fault but...

What do you think you could have done to make it your fault

why they gave you up for adoption?

Maybe I was a horrible kid.

Like, maybe I wouldn't stop crying or something,

maybe I made it that my mum couldn't cope or...

I think that a lot of time, the parents they do that

when they realise that they don't have the maturity

-or the economic finances to take care of their child...

-Yeah.

And I think sometimes it's an act of love when they do decide that I cannot do this for the child and

-it's best if I placed them with someone that can take better care than I can.

-Yeah.

I suppose I never thought of it like that,

that maybe it was out of love that I was given up.

And you must know that you are a very special person...

-Yeah.

-..because your mum, she went looking for you,

she picked you to take care of and to love.

I would wish for you, Calvin, to find some way back to her.

If you just keep things bottled inside you, nothing will ever come of it but destructive behaviour

and anger so you need to find a way to be able to communicate and get those feelings out.

But talk to your mum and let her understand,

I am sure she would understand a lot more than you give her credit for.

Yeah. Thanks.

-Can I get a hug?

-Yeah.

In the girls' dormitory,

Rosie is stepping up to her new responsibilities.

There you are, sweetie.

You are lucky in that you have your parents still around.

Some of these kids that you have talked to, you know...

..they wish that they could be with their parents and they can't be.

That's what being here has taught me, that I'm lucky to have family.

'Being around all these children and stuff it's taught me like to open up my heart a little bit more.

'You want to give a lot of love to these children, a lot of love.

'I've got love at home but I've been rejecting it.'

I think I should really try and accept the love

that's given to me and give it back.

With her own mum on her mind, Rosie's curious about how LJ

keeps such a close bond with Mrs Perez despite the strict rules.

My mum, she never allowed any of my sisters to date

and I've been dating ever since I was 17.

And it was always 19, they would start, that she would allow it,

and so me starting that young, she had to set a rule.

So that was the rule, that Bobby had to go with me everywhere.

I can't believe that your younger brother has to chaperone you

with your boyfriend.

It's like, he's younger than you and you're 18 years old, it's just a bit...

It kind of creates trust between my mum and me because

if there wasn't that rule, then maybe she would be nagging me a lot.

Yeah. So, LJ, are you still a virgin or not?

Ah, hmm...

I'm not.

When did you have sex?

At what age?

I was 18.

Does your mum know about that?

Yes, she does. I told her.

Is that why she makes Bobby come with you now?

No, she made Bobby...

She has been doing that for a while.

I don't know,

I just have a relationship with my mum that I felt I had to tell her.

'It's just nice to see a close family. I love LJ.

'She's, like, always cooking, and stuff.'

I think Mr and Mrs Perez have set their kids up very well for making it in the world.

They know what they're doing, what it's all about.

It's nice.

With a newfound respect for their family philosophy,

Rosie is ready to open up to Mrs Perez.

My mum and dad were never married.

I used to see him about once every fortnight

but now I hardly ever see him.

He spends like all of his money on alcohol and stuff.

I've always tried to be close to him...

..but I've never quite got there.

So, um, you feel, your feeling towards him is rejection.

When I was about nine or so, he got really drunk and left me... No, he collapsed in a field

and left me to walk back to the pub that we were at

and get the bar staff to come and wake him up.

And my mum was on holiday at the time and so she couldn't come and get me

so my nan had to come and get me.

But, yeah, I was quite scared.

There have been loads of incidents like that.

I am hurt by what my dad does.

Um...

-Go ahead.

-And I guess I take out on my mum, yeah.

Who takes care of you after your dad has abandoned you

for that short period of time?

-My mum.

-Your mum.

She is not turning her back on you.

Don't let your problems you have with your dad, you push in your mum's corner,

-keep the love burning with you and your mum.

-OK.

It's going to be hard for me to let go of the past

because I've held onto it for so long

but if we take little steps at a time

I think...

eventually, we will get there.

Calvin's experience at the children's home

has set him thinking about the Perez's adopted child Ethan.

Where did you used to live before the Perez's?

Um, at the home.

At the home?

Did you like it?

No?

Why didn't you like it?

Because they had fights.

-They break up the toys.

-They break the toys?

They have guns.

They have guns?

Was it scary?

I can see me in him,

he still knows he lived in a home and he knows how hard it was and stuff.

I'm glad I made it out,

I'm glad I was adopted because I could be in a home somewhere.

The teens have been in Belize for almost a week.

Tonight, Calvin has his first contact from home.

Here I have a letter from my mum.

"Hi Calvin, the decision to send you on this trip was very difficult because what has been more difficult

"for me to deal with is that in the days that you have been away I have felt more relaxed.

"I have not come home to be faced by an angry teenager

"who wants everything done for him after spending the whole day in bed.

"Demanding money, food and lifts to places is what you do best.

"I don't recall you ever asking me if I wanted a cup of tea.

"I do hope this experience will help you be calmer and more considerate.

"I want you to realise your potential and rise to the stars, Calvin, because I know you can do it.

"Without your own efforts this will not happen.

"We cannot fulfil your dream for you but we can support you in reaching them as we always have done.

"I love you. Mum."

I've had everything handed to me on a silver platter

and the times that my mum's told me about when they were younger about like how they

used to survive like on nothing,

like after my sisters finished dinner, then she would eat,

and she would just eat the leftovers,

she would have no food for herself, like.

And I think...

..just, I think because I've had everything so easy...

..and I just treated her so badly.

It's bad.

I just wish that I could say sorry.

God.

It's the final day of the teens' voluntary assignment at the kid's home.

You do it too.

ROSIE GIGGLES

Give me your hands. Oh...

Delphina's pleased that Rosie has started to open up about her troubled childhood

but wants to keep her focused on her behaviour at home.

I'm constantly arguing with my mum about petty things, like, I want to

annoy her constantly, I want to make her angry, I want to argue with her.

It's good that you recognise that what the action that you are trying to get some emotions out of her.

I've got a very short temper...

so I get very frustrated quite quickly.

What do you want for Rosie, say, five years from now?

To fix my family...

To have a job that's stable.

And you say you want to fix your family

but how can you fix your family with all that anger in you?

I guess I can let it out somehow.

That would be a start because if you continue like this, like you are,

with all that repressed anger and being short tempered, um,

disrespectful of authority and all that,

you're not going to have a very fulfilled life.

You're going to have lots of problems, lots of issues

and lots of heartache.

And you're a young beautiful girl,

you deserve to be happy and you deserve to have a full life,

a full, happy life.

You deserve that, Rosie.

You can make your future better than your past.

-OK?

-OK.

Thank you.

# You are my sunshine

# My only sunshine... #

It's the end of their time at the children's home

and both teens are expected to give a short talk about their experiences.

Delphina has invited the Perez family to come and watch.

And Rosie, can you tell us what you've gotten out of being at Liberty these two days?

Liberty has helped me

open up my heart and feelings

and wanting to care for other people.

And one of your chores while you were here was to work with Leah.

-Yeah.

-How was that for you?

At first I didn't like the responsibility of looking after somebody else

but then I learned that she's a very special child

and she made me think about a lot of things. I feel responsible.

What was the most important thing that you learned here?

Everybody needs a mother.

APPLAUSE

I need you guys to be really quiet and listen to what Calvin has to say, OK?

Coming here to the children's home has opened my eyes to a lot of things.

I am adopted and I've been adopted since I was very young

I've had a very privileged, happy life and seeing the children's home, that could have been me.

I could have been in a children's home, I could have been fostered

but I guess I've never thanked my mum or I've never thanked anyone,

I've never thought about it.

It makes me feel bad for taking it for granted.

Thank you.

APPLAUSE

I'm proud of you guys.

Thank you so much.

Have fun, man.

It's sad.

Thank you.

I wish you the best.

I wish you the best as well. I hope you get everything done here.

-OK. Be happy.

-I will.

Back on the farm, and Calvin is finally embracing the Perez's hard work ethic.

He's finishing the windows for Mr Perez's workshop.

Ow!

-England, here I come.

-Here I come. >

Let's hear it again.

England, here I come.

THEY LAUGH

I can, I can, I can.

-I can!

-I can.

-I can!

You deserve it.

Try not to hammer your fingers any more. You did good.

Good job, Calvin.

There it is! Look at that hug! He's waiting on me!

I tell you, you can be strong when you want to.

There is a lot of good in him.

Keep trying.

Oh, not that one, that one's horrible. That one's disgusting.

No-o-o!

HE SHRIEKS

Just take one foot...over.

Yeah!

That's it. You're ready.

No, don't make it go.

I'll fall and die.

I think Calvin has started to have respect for authority.

You know, he was doing it and without arguments.

"I am tired, " he didn't say that. He just did it.

It makes me feel a lot better about myself.

Like, I felt I was glowing inside when I saw

like the window going up and I saw I had a part in it.

that window's going to be a part of this farm for a very long time

and I just want her to remember me by it.

I'm going to miss you, baby.

Take care. Show mummy a lot of love when you get there.

You can do it.

Bye, Calvin.

The time has come for the teens to leave Belize

and return to their own families back home.

You have a mama already at home, love her.

Thank you.

Bye.

-I'm going to miss them.

-I'm going to miss them as well.

They're an amazing family, amazing. I admire them a lot.

I think Mr and Mrs Perez are very good parents because they are firm but fair.

They know when to have a joke but they also know

when they have to be tough.

I've seen both of them change.

Calvin, he has done a lot for himself.

I'm getting ready to miss them.

-Hello.

-Hi, Mum.

-Hiya.

Oh, wow, look at you.

-Missed you.

-Did you?

-Yes.

-Really?

-I love you.

-I missed you too, darling.

I'm sorry, Mum, for being so horrible.

Such a horrible little brat.

Are you going to make life easier on both of us?

I'll help out a lot more.

Yes. Well, that would be really nice.

Dad has just really annoyed me in not giving me attention

and always, he's just always cared about his drink more than me.

Yeah, I'm sorry that that's happened.

I guess I've been taking it out on you as well as other things but...

Well, I'm really surprised, actually. I'm surprised, yeah.

Oh, it would be lovely if we could just be a mother and daughter again, really.

She definitely looks like she's grown up in a week's time. There's a phenomenal change.

If she just keeps this together we're all going to be happy.

Hello, Mum.

I love your hair.

I missed you so much. I missed you so much.

I'm sorry for everything that I've done.

Like, this experience made me realise the things you ask me to do

are nothing compared to the things that other people do.

Throughout my whole childhood I've been treated as the special one

and I've been handed everything on a silver platter.

I did used to take advantage of it. I just want to apologise.

I feel grateful for all the things that I've got.

-I love you.

-I love you too, Calvin and I hope you appreciate that.

Very happy to have Calvin home.

It's been great. I've really missed him, little scallywag.

I think he's enjoyed and appreciated what he's seen out there

and coming back home, he's really happy to be back home.

Next time on the World's Strictest Parents -

attention-seeker Kaya Elliot...

If I want to do something, I'll do it. If I don't want to do it, you've got no chance.

..the rest of your life expecting everybody to pay for you.

..and bone idle Jay Birch...

Jay's going nowhere at the moment, I don't think.

..get new parents in Oklahoma.

I'm actually the police chief in this town.

You are disrespecting me, I don't like that. I'm not disrespecting you.

Why are they stopping?

I need a cigarette, I need to smoke.

You're going to get in the car or I'll make you.

I thought I was pissing her off.

I didn't think I was actually hurting her.

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