Wednesday, January 9, 2008

I could only dream to be so clever

Okay, I know I just posted 10 minutes ago, but I read this article on CNN.com and HAD to write about this. The article is about a mom who had bought her teenage son a car, and then found a bottle of alcohol in it. She put the following ad in their local paper:

OLDS 1999 Intrigue. Totally uncool parents who obviously don't love teenage son, selling his car. Only driven for three weeks before snoopy mom who needs to get a life found booze under front seat. $3,700/offer. Call meanest mom on the planet.

This woman is my hero! This is maybe the single most brilliant parenting move ever. Humiliation AND immobility! She sold the car, and got dozens of calls congratulating her on being a good parent. I bet none of the calls were from teenagers!

You can read the full article here:
http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/wayoflife/01/09/mean.mom.ap/index.html

3 comments:

Alice said...

That is SO my hero. I want to be just like her (hoping we never have this issue....but).

I taught teenagers at church this way. Not so popular with most teens but they knew I loved them and they thank me now (some of them not even over 16).

Anonymous said...

WOW!! I want to be so bold!!! I pray I never have to have this problem, but if we do, I hope I can stand up like that!!!

Kori

Anonymous said...

This mom is great! Reminds me of when my oldest was about 10 -12 years old- she grew that "attitude" over night one night that all pre-teens aquire during those ages. And learned to slam her bedroom door when she got mad one night. I gave her fair warning! Told her not to do it again- she did, I repeated my self- she did it again- This time I went to the garage, picked up a screwdriver and hammer. Walked straight to her room and removed the door from the frame. She sat speechless watching, with her sister giving her all kinds of grief- it did afterall effect her too. No privacy for dressing or hanging out or watching tv, talking on the phone, etc. Needless to say, after about 2 weeks without a door, and until she married and left home in 2000, she NEVER slammed her bedroom door again. Some times we as parents have to stoop to very humiliating actions to get their attention. If it works, do it!