‘ PRISONERS IN THEIR OWN HOME’ Shocking new claims about how Kate Gosselin treats her eight children

Kate’s Kids: 36 IN TOUCH JANUARY 30, 2017 EXCLUSIVE

“The kids have their bags and bodies searched when they return to Kate’s after visiting Jon’s,” an insider says of just one of many strict rules inside the reality star’s Wernersville, Pa., home (inset).

The kids were living it up. For the last few months, viewers who tuned in to the latest season of TLC’S Kate Plus 8 watched as Kate Gosselin’s children did everything from attend Space Camp and adopt two puppies to vacation in New Orleans and celebrate their birthdays.

But when the cameras aren’t rolling, the fun stops. “Kate is a nightmare. She has these insane practices and rules to ensure she has total control of everything her kids do,” claims an insider, referring to twins Mady and Cara, 16, and 12-year-old sextuplets Aaden, Alexis, Leah, Hannah, Joel and Collin. From constant surveillance and endless chores to regular pat-downs and strict edicts about what they can and can’t wear while visiting their dad, Jon, 39, the Gosselin children, adds the insider, “are prisoners in their own home.”

Kate is especially unyielding when it comes to the kids visiting their father. “Kate says no clothing or belongings can be brought from her house to Jon’s house, so the kids arrive for visitation [at Jon’s] in their school uniforms and change into clothes Jon has for them when they get to his house,” says the insider. “Then they put their uniforms back on before heading to their mom’s house.”

Phone use is out of the question. “There are no cellphones allowed for the kids in her house, and Kate lives in constant fear that Jon will give them a phone,” says the insider. ( Kate and Jon are currently embroiled in a new custody war over the kids.) “So after they visit with their dad, she lines the kids up and pats them down for cellphones.” When they’re at Jon’s place, her rules still apply, “but one child is assigned to call their mother every hour to tell her what is going on and where they are.” Then, once they’re back home with Kate, 41, “if the kids talk to their father for any reason, they must keep it on speakerphone so Kate can eavesdrop on every word.”

In Kate’s home, the kids have zero privacy. “There are 24-hour surveillance cameras all over the house,” claims the insider. “It’s literally like Big Brother is watching you, except it’s Kate. The children never have a moment of alone time. They always feel like there are eyes on them, because there are!”

Kate even tries to sabotage their time with their father, claims the insider. “Kate rewards the kids who don’t go to Jon’s house with gifts and praise and takes the ones who stay with her on special trips,” says the insider. “Kate brags about what they did when the others weren’t there in an attempt to make the kids who saw their dad jealous. If you go to your dad’s, you are ‘out’ and get punished or are given more chores. And if you stay home with Mom, you’re ‘in’ and get rewarded.”

But no one escapes chores. “They’re forced to do chores before homework,” says the insider. “And the kids get anxious because they often don’t finish all their homework. Kate will even wake them up in the middle of the night to finish their chores.”

Kate rarely seems to show any mercy. “It’s constant controlling behavior on Kate’s part,” says the insider. “It’s extreme.” And that’s just how she likes it. “Living by Kate’s ridiculous rules is rougher than military school, and it’s 24 hours a day for those poor kids,” adds the insider. “I can’t imagine how those children feel living there.” ◼