HOUSTON – If Houston had a royal family, JJ Watt would be the prince, and his mother, Connie Watt, would be the queen.
Watt and his brothers were athletic children, but he also played the role of big brother to his two younger siblings.
Channel 2's Dominique Sachse sat down with Connie Watt for an exclusive one-on-one interview.
"Was he always Mr. Perfect?" Sachse asked.
"He really was," Watt said. "Our children, I like to use the phrase 'maintenance free.' They were great boys. We had high expectations when they were little. He learned to read when he was 4. We (made) reading a huge part of our lives, and that together time was awesome. We had chores as a big part of their lives when they were little. They had a chore chart."
The Watt household was a strict one. Bedtimes were enforced and the parenting was hands on.
"One of the best phrases my husband always uses is, 'We're your parents, not your friends,'" Watt said. "And as much as you can be that sort of friendship-type relationship, you definitely want to be the parent."
Family outings focused on volunteering and character-building experiences. Connie Watt said those have molded her son into the man he is today.
"Was that your primary focus in raising your children -- character-based decisions?" Sachse asked.
"It definitely was," she said. "There are so many ways, whether it's TV shows, friends at school, pulling you in different directions, trying to change that view of that character. So they learned very early on what the expectations were, what consequences were and how beneficial that character building would be."
The Watt family tradition of volunteerism continues today. Sachse met Connie Watt at Minute Maid Park, preparing for the annual JJ Watt Foundation charity classic softball game. Connie Watt is the foundation's co-founder and vice president.
"I had a few sleepless nights wondering if I could even handle it," she said.
But the foundation has flourished, providing uniforms, equipment and sports programs for middle schools across the country.
"That's an age where kids can be pulled in different directions," Watt said. "There are choices to be made. So we target middle school students and say, 'Try everything.' JJ is a big proponent of trying multiple sports -- try everything you might want."
In the offseason, JJ Watt goes back to Wisconsin with his family. His mother said he's focused on staying grounded, even with the nonstop celebrity-style attention.
"We are still a normal family, even though he's this crazy phenomenon," Watt said.
"What does he like to do at home? What's a down day in JJ's life?" Sachse asked.
"Just hanging out at his property, watching TV, working out with his brothers, playing cards," she said.
"Does he have a favorite card game?" Sachse asked.
"Rummy," Watt said. "Five hundred rummy. My 98-year-old grandmother still loves to play it with us."
"Does he ever talk about being a dad one day?" Sachse asked.
"He does," Watt said. "He loves children, he really does love children."
But for now, Watt said football is her son's focus, even if there's a slight distraction, like dinner with a Hollywood star or million-dollar commercial endorsements.
"How can you describe your pride for your son, who seems to have achieved it all?" Sachse asked.
"I haven't found that," Watt said. "I always say there will be a moment when life calms down a little, I will sit down, put my feet up and cry myself to just utter pride. It's amazing. I had someone come up to me once and say I raised an amazing son. And I said, 'Actually, I've raised three amazing sons,' and what more could a parent want?"
The JJ Watt Charity Classic softball game is May 14 at Minute Maid Park. Former First Lady Barbara Bush will throw out the first pitch, and there will be other surprises.
To learn more about the event and purchase tickets, click here.