A CONSERVATIVE, PRO-WAR, FORMER MILITARY MOM WHO RUNS HER STRICT HOUSE LIKE A BOOT CAMP SWAPS PLACES WITH A PEACE ACTIVIST, PROTESTOR MOM WHO RUNS HER LAX HOUSE LIKE A TRAINING CAMP FOR LIBERALS, ON ABC'S "WIFE SWAP"

"Episode No. 118" -- This week in "Patrick/Leierwood," a conservative, pro-war, former military mom who runs her house like a boot camp swaps lives with a peace activist mom who runs her house like a training camp for liberals, on "Wife Swap" -- the critically acclaimed unscripted reality show that takes us into the intimate heart of the American family home to reveal the extraordinarily different ways families live their lives - WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2 (10:02-11:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

Each week, from across the country, two families with very different values are chosen to take part. In a two week-long challenge, the wives from these two families exchange husbands, children and lives (but not bedrooms) to discover what it's like to live another mother's very different life. It's a mind-blowing experiment that often ends up changing their lives forever.

Cheri Patrick (31), and her husband, Ryan (26), are both former members -- and strong supporters -- of the U.S. military. They live in a small Kentucky town with eight-year-old Tyler (Cheri's son from a previous relationship), five-year-old Brendan and two-year-old daughter Hayley. Cheri's strict Air Force background and Ryan's exacting Army experience have combined to make "Fort Patrick" a home where the kids must address their parents as "Sir" and "Ma'am," and are not allowed to question authority or talk back. Cheri's Christian values are also very important to her and further influence how she raises her children. She takes the kids to church every Sunday and requires them to say grace before meals. Cheri is a perfectionist who obsessively vacuums her immaculate home several times a day and decorates it with apple motifs and country quilts. Husband Ryan is a man's man who loves hunting and fishing, and volunteers to work overtime every night at his steel mill job in order to better provide for his family. Ryan's long days at work leave Cheri sometimes feeling like a resentful single parent, responsible for all the childcare, cooking and household chores. But the Patricks remain strongly united by their conservative politics and their unwavering support of President Bush and the war in Iraq.

Cheri travels to Minnesota, to the anti-war, politically-liberal home of the Leierwood family, where 35-year-old mom Mina and husband Greg (37) are raising two boys -- mild-mannered Avram (13), and highly defiant Dan (17). Mina is an art teacher and peace activist whose passions include "life," liberal politics and anti-war protests. The house is filled with her art, political posters and protest signs. She is indifferent to domestic duties, so Greg and the boys do more chores than Mom, but even so, the family will never be accused of having a clean house. Nurse practitioner Greg shares Mina's commitment to socialist Democrat politics and the peace movement. Mom and Dad are practicing Quakers who take pride in their equal partnership while shunning the usual means of achieving child discipline, such as imposing rules and regulations. The Leierwoods encourage their boys to question authority and form their own opinions. As a result, Avram now refuses to attend Quaker meetings, and Dan has become a staunch atheist -- as well as an argumentative, overly-opinionated, rebellious teenager. But the family is united in their opposition to the Bush administration and the war in Iraq, and strongly believes that dissent is not only democratic but their duty.

In the first week of the swap, military mom Cheri must take part in an anti-war protest and argues with teenage Dan when he belittles her religious and political beliefs, leaving Dad Greg to wonder if they've raised Dan to be insensitive. Meanwhile, Mina must adhere to Cheri's strict boot camp routine, incessantly cleaning the house and arranging the children's shoes in a straight line, shocked when they demonstrate their favorite toy guns. But in the second week of the swap, hen the moms turn the tables and enforce their own rules, Cheri cracks down on the liberal Leierwoods, raising the Stars and Stripes outside their home and forcing Dan to "shut up." Over at "Fort Patrick," Mina frees the kids with finger paints and fantasy costumes, gets rid of the kids' toy guns and instructs Dad Ryan to cook an entire meal for the first time in his life. At the end of the swap, will these moms find common ground about shared problems, or are their differences as wives, mothers and couples too great to be overcome?

"Wife Swap" is an RDF Media production. It was created by Stephen Lambert and is executive-produced by Lambert and Jenny Crowther of RDF Media ("Faking It" and "Junkyard Wars") and Michael Davies of Diplomatic ("Who Wants to be a Millionaire"). Wendy Roth is the co-executive producer.

This program carries a TV-PG parental guideline.