SEASON RETURN - Seven West Media

TEXAS, USA
THE SIMONS
FAMILY
Aussie teens Thea and
Corie are heading to
Texas to spend a week
with the Simons family.
Their approach to parenting has been heavily
influenced by their years of military service.
They believe kids should be brought up with
old-fashioned manners, hard work and
fierce discipline.
From Port Lavaca in Texas, Laval Simons
spent 22 years in the military – including 15
years as an elite special forces “green beret”
in Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
His wife Jennifer is a former Army nurse.
“We’re not afraid of being stern with our
children at all,” says Laval. “If they get mad
at us, so what? It doesn’t matter to me. They
can get glad like they got mad.”
In this household, the parents rule the roost.
“We are the parents,” says mum Jennifer, “and
they answer to us, not the other way around.”
The Simons have two children, Moriah, 17
and Milam, 14, who are both expected to
behave with military manners.
“Our kids always say ‘yes sir’ and ‘no sir’
if they’re addressed, or if they’re asked a
question,” says Laval.
For the Simons kids, every day brings a long
list of chores, even on weekends. They’re up
before dawn to feed all the animals on the
ranch, keep the lawns tidy, the kitchen clean
and their rooms spotless.
To make sure their schooling doesn’t slip, these
parents monitor their kids grades weekly.
And, in the Simons home, anything less than
an A or a B is unacceptable.
“When you start making bad grades and Cs
you’re going to start getting consequences,”
says Laval. And the consequences come
swiftly and severely.
“I’ve had my i-Pod, my phone, my laptop taken
away,” says Moriah. “I’ve had my make-up, my
jewellery taken away. I had my bedroom door
removed. My dad’s very strict.”
Port Lavaca is in Calhoun County, Texas. The
county’s passed local laws making it illegal
for students to drop out of school.
Serial trouble-makers are sent to a militaryrun
boot camp where students must take part
in tough army drills in addition to lessons.
Laval says, “The great thing about the
Calhoun County school system is you mess
up, you get clinked up.”
HOUSE RULES!!!
• Must say “sir” and “ma’am”
when addressed
• No drinking
• No smoking
• No swearing
• No dating before age 17
• Kids must do chores seven
days a week
• Must wake up at 0600
everyday
• Must dress modestly
• Must achieve at least a B
average at school
• Punishments include having
bedroom door removed
WORLD’S STRICTEST PARENTS