Mean Mom Sells Son’s Car When She Finds Alcohol

January 16, 2008

A Des Moines mom calls herself the “meanest mom on the planet.” When Jane Hambleton found alcohol in her son’s car — breaking one of two rules set when she bought the car — she decided to sell the car. So she put an ad in the paper. But not only did she put an ad in the paper, she told every reader of The Des Moines Register exactly what her son did.

The ad said: "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."

And the response was overwhelming. Nurses, school counselors, and emergency room technicians called her. People thanked her for being a responsible parent.

But her son was unhappy with the ad, insisting a passenger left the alcohol. In spite of that, Hambleton felt she needed to enforce the rules they had set. She sold the car, but continued to run the ad just for the responses.

It’s good to see a parent not only setting rules, but enforcing them. Her son may be mad at her now, but he’ll appreciate the boundaries later. Especially when he becomes a parent.

I do wonder, though, if the friend was over 21. I think this mom may still need to talk to her 19-year-old son about alcohol and underage drinking. But she managed to get her point across to him, and I doubt he’ll break her rules again for a while.

What driving rules do you set for your kids, and how do you enforce them?

Source: CNN
Photo courtesy Beagleboys

By Becky Scott
Contributing Editor