Meanest Mom on the Planet?? - Weigh in
 

This story hit our local newspaper website yesterday, about an ad placed in the paper. Now the local tv-stations are talking about it (goodness who knows these folks could end up on a morning news show) What do you think Good Parenting or Gone too far?

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/app...WS01/801090376

'Meanest mom on the planet' sells son's car -- after finding booze in it

By ABBY SIMONS • REGISTER STAFF WRITER • January 9, 2008

It was early last month when Jane Hambleton of Fort Dodge found the bottle under the front seat of her 19-year-old son's pride and joy.

Her next move was a call to The Des Moines Register's classified advertising department:

OLDS 1999 Intrigue

"Totally uncool parents who obviously don't love teenage son, selling his car. Only driven for 3 weeks before snoopy mom who needs to get a life found booze under front seat. $3,700/offer. Call meanest mom on the planet."
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The son soon found himself on foot. And the meanest mom on the planet became the target of accolades from across Iowa and beyond.

Hambleton, 48, a disc jockey, said she has fielded more than 70 telephone calls from emergency room technicians, nurses, school counselors and even a Georgia man, who wanted to congratulate her.

"The ad cost a fortune, but you know what? I'm telling people what happened here. I'm not just going to put the car for resale when there's nothing wrong with it, except the driver made a dumb decision," Hambleton said. "It's overwhelming, the number of calls I've gotten from people saying, 'Thank you, it's nice to see a responsible parent.' So far, there are no calls from anyone saying, 'You're really strict. You're real overboard, lady.' "

Steven Hambleton, a freshman business major at Briar Cliff University in Sioux City, obviously was not one of the callers. And he didn't feel much like talking when contacted Tuesday.

"I don't think you can print" his response to the ad, his mother said. "He's very, very unhappy."

Jane Hambleton described her son as a great kid who does excellently in college and is active in church. But she'll stick to her guns, even though Steven Hambleton said that the bottle of alcohol wasn't his, and that someone else had left it in his (former) car.

For the record, Mom believes him.

But she and her husband set two rules when they bought the car at Thanksgiving: No booze, and always keep the car locked. The car sold within two weeks, but Hambleton said she will continue the ad for another week - just for the feedback.

"A couple in Hubbard bought it for their 19-year-old son," she said. "I told the kid when they were leaving, 'Do not have any booze in that car. And if you do, don't hide it under the front seat.' "

Reporter Abby Simons can be reached at (515) 284-8136 or asimons@dmreg.com

Good for them!! It's called following through!! Yeah Mom and Dad!! :thumbup: :thumbup:

Wow! As tough as that was for the mom to do, I applaud her selling the car. It's too easy to say "Oh, I know it wasn't your fault." or " Well, OK this time you don't have to pay the penalty."

I'm not so sure the wording in the ad was necessary but I hope she knows her son well enough to have made the right decision there. Some kids can learn from shame, others are so hurt, they can't trust for a long time.

So....... since he's 19 years old..... can a person (even a mother)... sell another person's car????

In other words, did she steal her son's car?
Who got the money for the sale?

Don't get me wrong! I totally applaud the mom's efforts - she can't hit her adolescent kid anymore without risking criminal charges and THIS kid is an adult who could sue her!

She also is probably paying for his college tuition, he probably lives at home and SHE bought the car.. :eek:

If the title was in his name, she couldn't sell it without his signature.

If the parents set the rules for having the car, and he broke them, he probably forfeited the money from the sale. Or she may have put it away for him for later.

If the parents bought it, it's their car and their money.

And what's "hit...anymore?" When can you ever hit your kid without risking criminal charges. The teachers drilled that into my daughter's 3rd grade class. She came home one day and told me "If you ever spank me my teacher told me to call the police and they will put you in jail." A phone call to the teacher was the first order of business that evening!

I don't agree with hitting children, but I do believe in spanking although I only swatted my daughter's bottom once. But that's another whole can of beans!

:thumbup: :thumbup:

The parents had just bought the car for him 3 weeks before this happened & he had been told the rules - including no alcohol. Parents owned it, they could sell it.

If the car's in her name, it's hers to sell and do what she wants with.

I say good for them!

Eh, I dunno how I feel about this. I'm not sure the mom will get the results she's hoping for.

Realistically, he is still going to drink if he wants to. He'll just do a better job of hiding it now. :)

ya I saw that on the news and in the paper ,I think they did the right thing rules are rules.:thumbup:

Yeah, but he did have an open container in his car, only 3 weeks after they set the rules. He screwed up, I think that part is pretty aparent. I for one would know if someone had a bottle of booze in my car, and I'd make them leave with it or toss it out. I don't take those risks!

I didn't say it was wrong for them to do. :) I said he'll still drink if he wants to.

Oh yeah, I totally agree with you there. I was a teen once... :D