Mother Makes Son Wear A Sign...

[Gravekeeper]

Gonna go with Jester on this one. While I think the actual language of the sign ( and the...Shrek ears? ) is too far. I'd still like to know a few more details to understand the mom in this.

[tropicsgoddess]

That's way too harsh of a punishment. If that was my son, I would've grounded him for a month.

[Lace Neil Singer]

I agree with Jester, especially after reading this article here: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...by-mother.html

However, the boy's mother, who has not been named, has defended her actions, saying they were a last resort intended to shame him into giving up stealing.

"We've had a process over the last three years of him shoplifting and stealing whatever he can get his hands on," she said.

"I have taken him to the police station, had the police officers take him around, shown him a paddy wagon [police van], shown him all the cells, shown him the process of being charged."

Nothing had so far worked, she said, and last week the boy stole some chocolate, prompting her to take drastic action.

"I am hoping he has (learnt his lesson), I don't think he will be game to do it again, I really don't but time will tell, soon as I trust him to go out to a shop," she said.

This isn't just a case of a boy stealing some sweets and this punishment being landed on him. This is a habital thief, who's driven his mother to this after she's tried everything she can possibly think of, and it hasn't worked.

If you still think this is too harsh a punishment, then answer this. What would you do in that situation? Grounding? Yeah, good luck in enforcing that. My parents couldn't enforce grounding on me; I just used to climb out my bedroom window. Time out and naughty corner? What good would that do, when the boy isn't getting anything bad for it? Being made to stand with a sign may seem harsh, but surely it's better than this boy getting a taste for thieving, and eventually being given a far harsher punishment; ie, a trip to reform school. His mother's just trying to stop that from happening.

[Jester]

Three years of that bullshit?

I say the kid got off light.

And this is coming from someone who WAS a habitual thief in his early teens, so I am not speaking with a holier than thou attitude. I WAS that kid. (Well, I was a better thief than he was, I guess, because I only got caught twice over several years, and the shame of that put an end to my thieving career.)

So yeah, now that my "credentials" are established, I repeat, the kid got off light.

Shit, if my father had been alive during that part of my life, and had he caught me doing shit like that, would have made it damn near impossible for me to sit down for a month.

If I were really, really lucky.

[Rageaholic]

He's been stealing for 3 years?! And it sounds like she tried everything (including scaring him with prison too). Since all that didn't get through to him, I can't blame her for trying something more drastic after all this bullshit.

It's one of those things that sounds harsh at first look, but once you know the context, it sounds justified (or at least understandable).

Though I'm not convinced this will work, but time will tell.

[DrFaroohk]

The 3 years part makes a difference for me. i think if all other options are exhausted, then it IS time for desperate measures. Physical abuse is out, you can't punch him in the face for stealing, so actually the sign seems like a better alternative.

Or they could turn the tables on him. See how it makes him feel when stuff magically dsiappears from his room.

Now there's the possibility that NO punishment will work, and he's just going to resent his parents and work harder at not getting caught...well sometimes, your failure to learn does NOT constitute my failure to teach. Something like that.

[Rageaholic]

Or they could turn the tables on him. See how it makes him feel when stuff magically dsiappears from his room.

I'd imagine that would be more effective. If he's gonna steal stuff from others, what's to stop others from taking his stuff? Fair is fair.

[Kimmik]

I wonder if she has taking him to have a mental health evaluation? While i think that it is harsh.. at least she cares enough to try to correct his behaviour.

[tropicsgoddess]

I stand corrected, Lace and I don't blame the mother using that as a last resort since the other methods didn't work on him. There has to be more to why the kid has been habitually stealing. The kid needs to be checked out for any mental issues but if he has no mental issues causing him to steal, I say ship his ass off to boot camp.

[blas87]

The Amish could always use some fresh, young new blood.

That was always the threat used on me, and if I ever have kids, I'll use it on them. Behave, or I'll sell you, hell, DONATE you, to the Amish.

[Gravekeeper]

Yeah, can't help but wonder if he's a klepto or not. Would come down to whether he steals EVERYTHING or if he's just stealing from shops and what not. I'm thinking shops if the police have been involved this much though.

[Jester]

There has to be more to why the kid has been habitually stealing.

Perhaps. Or perhaps he's just an asshole. A young asshole, but an asshole nonetheless.

What? Kids aren't people? Now all of them are good and innocent and wonderful? Bullshit. I've worked too long with kids to entertain any mistaken belief that some of them aren't evil, horrible little shits.

[Lace Neil Singer]

*shrugs* Kids can't be evil? I'm sure that Denise Bulger would disagree with that statement.

The kid could well be a nasty little thief, and his mother deserves kudos rather than criticism cuz she's actively taking steps to cure his thieving, rather than just blaming society for it and not doing anything.