public class Parent
{

    public int ParentID { get; set; }

    public string FirstName { get; set; }
    public string LastName { get; set; }

    public virtual Court Court { get; set; }
    //public IEnumerable<SelectListItem> Courts { get; set; }
    public virtual ICollection<Child> Childs { get; set; }

}

 public class Court
{
    public int CourtId { get; set; }
    public string CourtName { get; set; }

    public virtual ICollection<Parent> Parents { get; set; }
}

public class ParentVM
{

    public int ParentID { get; set; }

    public string FirstName { get; set; }
    public string LastName { get; set; }

    //public int CourtId { get; set; }
    //public string CourtName { get; set; }

    public virtual Court Court { get; set; }
    //public virtual IEnumerable<Court> CourtList { get; set; }
    public IEnumerable<SelectListItem> Courts { get; set; }

    public IList<ChildVM> Children { get; set; }

}

// GET: Parents/Create
    public ActionResult Create()
    {

        IEnumerable<SelectListItem> CourtList = db.Courts.ToList().Select(x => new SelectListItem
        {
            Value = x.CourtId.ToString(),
            Text = x.CourtName,

        });



        //ViewBag.CourtList = new SelectList(db.Courts, "CourtId", "CourtName");

        ParentVM viewModel = new ParentVM()
        {
            Children = new List<ChildVM>()
            {
                new ChildVM(){Name="", DOB="", Address=""},
                //new ChildVM(){Name="2", DOB="2", Address="222"},
                //new ChildVM(){Name="3", DOB="3", Address="3"},
            },

            viewModel.Courts = CourtList,
        };

        return View(viewModel);

    }

    // POST: Parents/Create
    // To protect from overposting attacks, please enable the specific properties you want to bind to, for
    // more details see http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=317598.
    [HttpPost]
    [ValidateAntiForgeryToken]
    public ActionResult Create(ParentVM viewModel)
    {
        if (ModelState.IsValid)
        {

            var parent = new Parent()
            {
                FirstName = viewModel.FirstName,
                LastName = viewModel.LastName
            };

            db.Parents.Add(parent);

            foreach (ChildVM item in viewModel.Children)
            {

                var child = new Child()
                {
                    Name = item.Name,
                    DOB = item.DOB,
                    Address = item.Address
                };

                db.Childs.Add(child);
            }

            //Parent parent = new Parent();
            //var employee = AutoMapper.Mapper.Map<Parent, ParentVM>(parent);

            db.SaveChanges();
            return RedirectToAction("Index");
        }

        return View(viewModel);
    }

@Html.DropDownList("Courts", (IEnumerable<SelectListItem>)Model.Courts)