Rose Family

**The Rose Family** is the second episode of Series 1 of the British version of *The World's Strictest Parents*.

## Episode Summary

Meet parents Sharon and David Rose. Parents to Davia (14) and Daveen (7). David works as a government driver. Sharon is a stay-at-home mother, and she is in charge of her daughters 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The family attends St. Gabriel's Church in Jamaica. The girls work most of the day. There is physical punishment, absolute obedience in the house! Davia attends Denvy High School, where Joan Wint is the Principal. Mrs. Wint runs a tight ship. These parents do not want their daughters having boyfriends. Will their old-fashioned parenting make wayward teens Sam (17) and Charlotte (16) grow up or is their strict regime too much?

## Recap

### Introductions

#### Charlotte

Charlotte Hart is beyond her parents control. The food her parents feed her is not food she touches. She drinks. Her mum smells the cup, which smells like alcohol. Charlotte's parents "piss her off". She thinks they talk non-stop about stuff she doesn't feel she needs to hear. She shouts and slams doors. She overpowers her parents. Charlotte thinks it's stupid and irritating. Charlotte's parents have failed to keep her out of trouble at school. Her mum says she goes to school as a joke. Anything Charlotte wants to do at school, Charlotte will do. Charlotte hates teachers because they moan at her for things she doesn't regret doing. When her parents scold her for her behaviour at school, she laughs.

#### Sam

Sam Northaide is a very angry young man. He'd rather live away from his mum, for he does not think of her as his family. He thinks of his mates as his family. According to his sister, Emily, he does not take "no" for an answer. He stands up for himself and refuses to back down to any rule set by anyone. He was from a Christian family, but Sam stopped believing in God after his parents split up in 2007. His mum is struggling to keep him under control. She's been a strict parent toward him and tried setting every strict rule she could, but he disobeyed all boundaries. Unless he needs to use the bathroom or needs to eat, going out is a nightly thing for Sam.

### Teen Departures

Charlotte's parents and Sam's mum agreed to send their teenagers to live with a family in Jamaica that has strict rules in place. Sam meets Charlotte.

### Strict Family Introduction

Sharon wakes up her daughters, Davia and Daveen. Sharon says there are rules, and those rules are to be respected, or there are consequences. Sharon feels she doesn't need to spank her daughters because they know she will give them "the look". David states that discipline is the core part of parenting, or they won't make it because they must have discipline starting from the home. They think the teens are like a wild horse, that they can be tamed.

### Day 1

Sam and Charlotte arrive in Jamaica to meet the Roses. Sharon and Dave gave Charlotte a room with their daughters, and they gave Sam a room to himself. Sam says the family is nice. He opens up to the family that he is a smoker, but they tell him they do not tolerate it; indoors or outdoors. He tries to counter argue, but they tell him to just go to sleep, and they'll deal with it in the morning. Sharon says that Sam is not a normal child with the piercings and the beard, and cannot keep Sam under her roof looking like that.

### Day 2

Sharon wakes up the teens, only to get them to the kitchen table to explain the house rules to them.

#### House Rules

1. If they eat or drink from it, they must wash it.
2. If they use or move it, they must put it back.
3. If they open it, they must close it.
4. No drinking anywhere.
5. No smoking anywhere.
6. No swearing.
7. Sweep the floor.
8. Wipe the floor.
9. Their room must be kept tidy!
10. Sam can't wear earrings.
11. Teens, like the girls, must call Sharon and David "mum" and "dad"

When Sharon explains rule 10, Sam argues and says he won't take them off, but Sharon tells him David and she are the adults in the house. When she explains rule 11, Sam says he won't because he made a vow for the rest of his life never to say the name "dad".

Sam says the family is nuts. He thinks the week with them will be a nightmare. Charlotte cries over the rules and regrets coming to Jamaica. Sharon knows she's crying; however, she will not lift up the rules for that reason. She thinks Charlotte is crying in manipulation, so she decides to be a stricter parent.

The Roses and the teens get ready for church. Nearly 70% of Jamaica is of Christian faith. Sam says he won't enter the church, but Sharon says this is Sunday morning in Jamaica when they worship. Sam uses the word "should" to suggest to Sharon what to do, but she tells him not to tell her what she needs to do. Sam says he won't stay in their house if he can't smoke, nor will he enter their church (which starts by the time he says those things). When Sharon counter argues, Sam manages to walk away from her, but Sharon calls him out, telling him it's disrespectful. Sharon eventually enters the church to attend the service. An annoyed Sam, still outside, says he won't tolerate what this family has to give him. He says he can't be told that he's not allowed his basic human rights because it is not part of their rules. Daveen steps out to tell Sam that instead of using cigarettes to please himself, he can please himself with sweets. Daveen offers to buy him some the next day. Sam finds gummy bears which have no nicotine. Daveen tells him to first smell, then eat them. The ceremony is over. A furious Sam says he did not come to Jamaica to visit the world of Sharon Rose, nor will he bend over toward her rules. An appalled and disrespected Sharon tells him that his bedtime for that night will be 19:00. When Sharon tells him that he's behaving like a toddler, Sam admits that he is a 17 year old who is immature. Not wanting Sam to have his tantrum any longer, Sharon tells him not to say anything else about it because her consequence to him is final. Sam says the parents will not compromise whatsoever. He is the immature child and Sharon's the brilliant adult who knows everything. He is not smoking at all for the week. He can have a nervous breakdown and end up a gibbering mess.

Sam normally storms out of the house after fighting like that. This time, he is sent to bed early. Sharon wants the British Government to send the kids of Britain to live in Jamaica. Besides seeing the discipline, she wants them to live in Jamaica. The kids need discipline. She says it's not about children, it's about parents. She thinks the British children are too privileged.

### Day 3

Sharon wakes up the teens to tell them they are going to school. The teens must wear a uniform. Sharon does not accept underachievement at school (which is what Charlotte showed everyday at school). She says children in Jamaica go to school to get an education, to grow up to have professional jobs. Education is a shortcut to being successful. Sharon escorts the teens to the principal's office. Principal Joan Wint has rules that she expects the students to abide by. If they don't follow the rules, there are consequences.

The first assignment the teens are given is to write a poem and an essay beginning with the line "Jamaica is..." The essay is to test their articulation, expression, and confidence. Sam nails the essay within minutes. Charlotte idles and the teachers say she must write what is expected or she will be sent to the principal. She chooses to see the principal. When Mrs. Wint confronts her about refusing to do what's required of her, she says she still won't do it because she doesn't want to. Mrs. Wint tells her to either do it or come after school to serve a detention to write the exam. She says she will write it, but not notes. Mrs. Wint says she doesn't remember in her 36 years anyone say to her "you can't make me do it" at all in her career. Charlotte returns to the classroom eventually writing her thoughts about Jamaica. After having started, it's hard for her to stop. She didn't write what she was expected to write, she just wrote about how she felt. At lunchtime, the English teens become very popular. The students want to know more about them as they stand out from the crowd.

Mrs. Wint looks at Charlotte's essay, only to call Sharon and the teachers in to let her know that what she wrote was profane and unacceptable. Charlotte joins in later on. Mrs. Wint asks her how annoyance should be expressed. Charlotte says appropriately. Mrs. Wint wants Charlotte to be aware that she did not express annoyance appropriately. Charlotte tells Mrs. Wint that she used curse words in her essay because she was annoyed. Charlotte wanted to do wrong to someone else, only to learn that she did wrong to herself. Mrs. Wint demands that Charlotte apologise to one of the teachers. She first says "sorry" by itself, but none of the women are letting her off with that. Mrs. Wint wants her to address the teacher by name and say a full apology in a sentence and Sharon tells her to stand up as she gives the proper apology. After that, Charlotte stays home for the rest of the day. She apologises to Sharon later on. Not only does Sharon forgive Charlotte, but Charlotte says she will do her best to make everyone proud, including herself. The teens start to miss their families after a few days in Jamaica.

### Day 4

The teens have school again. Before school, Charlotte asks the girls about their life. Davia tells Charlotte that she and her sister cannot stay under their parents' roof with boyfriends; they will immediately disapprove of the boyfriend without getting to know him. The girls laugh when they talk about the dating conversation.

Back at school, the lesson the teachers are covering is a lesson about sex. In Jamaica, there is one type of safe sex: no sex, period. Sex before marriage is absolutely dangerous. The teacher has Sam say lines from the script of reactions when someone asks you to have sex with them, such as, "don't touch me" and "I am breaking up with you until you learn not to have sex until you are married". The teacher tells the students to make the message clear that when someone wants to have sex with them, the answer is always "no". She shows the students the negative consequences of premarital sex. Both the teens think the teachers are brainwashing the students.

Sam is accustomed to coasting at school, but the teachers noticed Sam's essay, which they feel should be shared with everyone. Sam wrote an essay saying that if he had a child, he will be free. Sam will be his guide, but not his decision-maker. The child's choices are the child's choices, period.

The staff feel that Sam underestimates himself way too much. Whenever someone compliments Sam, he denies it. Mrs. Wint steps in and tells him that the poem he wrote reflected on his great intelligence. The staff tell him that he must stop doubting himself. Sam finds that so hard to believe. He believes the people who have A's are smart. Mrs. Wint tells him that it's not just because they're smart, for they believe in themselves.

Later that evening, Sam begins to reflect on what the staff told him. He opens up that the reason that he doubts himself was because his father was smart and thought that Sam would never be like him.

### Day 5

David brags that Jamaica is the only country where people can live without paradise and that children need to be raised in Jamaica.

Sharon grew up in a farm. She's bringing the teens there. Her family got food from the land and made money from it. Now that Sam and Charlotte are part of the family, they will be doing what Sharon's family does. The teens meet Sharon's relatives.

First, the teens must clear the weeds in the garden. Charlotte's arm is slightly tired, but she doesn't complain. Despite the teens not wanting to weed the garden, they make progress.

Next, the teens see the chickens the Roses raise for sorter. As a reward, the teens get to take one home. Charlotte picks up the chicken, but once she hears that they cut off the chicken's head to kill it, she cries in fear. Not only does Charlotte refuse to do it, but she decides to stop eating chicken. Sam's attitude is starting to change, he realises that he is not in Jamaica to be on holiday or have all the fun he wants, he's here because he needs people to turn his life around. Jamaica is a tough country.

After staying with the Roses for five days, the teens are used to what the Roses do as a family. Sharon praises the teens and rewards them with Jamaican money. Sharon paid the teens JMD$500, which is a little less than £4.00.

Sam's thoughts about Sharon change. Sam says she is a nice lady. She just won't tolerate nonsense. He realises she parents her daughters the way she does because she cares about them. Sam, deeply inside, apologises for badmouthing Sharon. Charlotte feels Sharon is someone whom someone else can open up to when they have a problem.

### Letter Deliveries

The teens' parents have written to them letters to deliver to Jamaica. Charlotte reads her letter, and later on cries. Sharon gave Charlotte a taste of love. Sharon realises that Charlotte runs away from family discussions rather than facing it and accepting it.

Sam reads the letter his mum wrote to him. He heard that his mum didn't like the way he was at home, nor did she like who he's become. He wants to make amends with his mum when he gets home. He wants his mum to like him.

### Day 6

The Roses are taking the teens to meet a family friend so that Sam can learn from his example. 19-year-old Malikai Johnson lives in Portland Hotel in the Southern Hurricane belt. Despite facing his flaws, Malikai took responsibility for all of his family. Malikai sacrificed his education for his mum and 7 siblings after his father left so he could get a job. Sam opens up to him that he's no longer Catholic. Malikai says that he was right to carry on being Catholic or he would have given up now.

Sam finally confesses his past behaviour. Sharon asks how it went. Sam told her that he stopped trying and gave up. Malikai tried no matter what. It made Sam feel lucky to have what he does now, because Malikai is in a less fortunate position than Sam, yet he's more grateful for what he has.

### Day 7

It's the teens' last day in Jamaica. Charlotte and Sharon pray before eating breakfast. Sharon is very proud of the teens for what they did that morning. The beds were neat, they rustled up the breakfast, well-planned. Sharon says they can have family breakfasts like her own if they want to.

Sharon admits that the week in Jamaica has had its ups and downs. Despite what happened during the week, Sharon was firm and showed the teens that when she sets a rule in the house, she means business. She didn't back down, for she stood her grounds completely. She gave them unconditional love, but it was tough love.

As he's packing up, Sam states his experience in Jamaica and how eager he is to return to his family to start a new beginning again.

Charlotte decides to stop taking for granted what her parents do for her, realising they love her and try to prepare her for a successful life later on.

To end their week in Jamaica, the Roses throw a dance party for them as a means of saying "goodbye, we enjoyed your visit"

Sharon and David say tearful goodbyes to the teens before they leave.

### Teen Returns

Charlotte gives her mother a Jamaican souvenir. She learned to listen to authority and they tell her what to do for a good reason.

Sam apologises to his mum for the way he acted in the past. His mum forgave him and saw a new and improved Sam.

## Trivia

This is the first episode where the strict parents send the foster teens out to school.

## People

### Family Members

* David Rose
* Sharon Rose
* Davia Rose (14)
* Daveen Rose (7)
* Richard (Sharon's brother)
* Sharon's Mother

### Foster Teens

* Charlotte Hart (16)
* Sam Northaide (17)

### Other People

* Joan Wint
* Malikai Johnson (19)

## External Links

* Information on the BBC website
* Mom Threatens 7pm Bedtime to 17 Yr Old Who Refuses to go to Church - In this clip, Sam refuses to go to Church. Sharon threatens to send him to bed at 7pm.
* 16 Year Old Refuses to Take Exam and Swears Continuously In The Final Paper This is a video of Charlotte's introduction and her performance at school.
* Full Episode of the Rose Family in parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6