'Meanest mom on planet' sells son's car

[dinoman]

Go mom!

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) -- Jane Hambleton has dubbed herself the "meanest mom on the planet."

After finding alcohol in her son's car, she decided to sell the car and share her 19-year-old's misdeed with everyone -- by placing an ad in the local newspaper.

The ad reads: "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."

Hambleton has heard from people besides interested buyers since recently placing the ad in The Des Moines Register.

The 48-year-old from Fort Dodge says 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," Hambleton says. "I'm not just gonna put the car for resale when there's nothing wrong with it, except the driver made a dumb decision.

"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."'

The only critic is her son, who Hambleton says is "very, very unhappy" with the ad and claims the alcohol was left by a passenger.

Hambleton believes her son but has decided mercy isn't the best policy in this case. She says she set two rules when she bought the car at Thanksgiving: No booze, and always keep it locked.

The car has been sold, but Hambleton says she will continue the ad for another week -- just for the feedback.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/wayof...ref=rss_latest

[Kreeger1]

19 and still under the control of his parents. Poor kid

[drauka99]

Becha he learned his leason this time

[crp]

Originally posted by Kreeger1
19 and still under the control of his parents. Poor kid

Good for her. She bought the car, set the rules. He broke them. Too bad for him.

I'd do the same thing.

[Aliie]

Sounds like something I'd do. Good for her!

[Sk8r]

Pity. 19 and still cabbaging off mama while drinking in car she bought him. She still loves him---which is why she wants him alive; and she has common sense, which is why she doesn't want a lawsuit against him to go for her 'deep pockets' and take everything she's ever worked for.

Sorry, no sympathy for 19-and-blitzed.

[Kreeger1]

adult treated as a child is all. f it was her car she could do as she wishes and good for her standing up for what she se as a rule. still would hate to be under the control at 19 though. He should have made better choices

[drauka99]

my Mom or dad would have beat me to within an inch of my life with that bottle then sold the car.

SO the kid got off lucky in my family

My brother came home drunk onetime right after his 21st birthday, lets say thier punishment for him is the stuff of legend and many laughs in our family AND HE WAS LEGAL TO DRINK, so imagine if this kid had done the same

[crp]

Originally posted by drauka99
my Mom or dad would have beat me to within an inch of my life with that bottle then sold the car.

SO the kid got off lucky in my family

My brother came home drunk onetime right after his 21st birthday, lets say thier punishment for him is the stuff of legend and many laughs in our family AND HE WAS LEGAL TO DRINK, so imagine if this kid had done the same

Do tell!

[otolith]

19 isn't "all grown up." Maybe he's in college, or is taking a year off, or, who knows. We don't have all the details as to why she bought the car for him, but it doesn't mean he's going to be living in his parents' basement when he's 40. So I'd cut him a little slack on the 19 and being reliant on his parents. It took me until 26 before I had to stop asking my parents for monetary help.

Now, otoh, he broke the rules and got punished. Hopefully he'll learn from it and it'll save his life some day.

[drauka99]

Originally posted by crp
Do tell!

Ok - Brother at the time worked with my dad. We lived right at the Alabama, Florida border. When temps are around 90 here on the beach it will easily be 100 up there. My dad and brother at the time worked loading trucks. Not with equipment but by HAND. Dad had been doing this for years and was friends with all the work crews. He went in a little bit early and discussed sutible punishment with the rest of the crew. When loading trucks that day they had my brother stack the boxes in the semi trailer. Each man tossed the boxes just far enough short of my brothers hands to land on the floor of the trailer.

Now imagine your hungover working in 100 degree temps, inside a metal trailer with guys throwing boxes just so they make a boning sound through the trailer and this goes on for hours

MY brother laughs about this now but I'm sure it was not a good day

[crp]

[PoukieBear]

Finally! Someone with some good parenting skills!

[Sk8r]

No points against the guy for asking for help from his mum. People in their 30's and 50's may ask for help from mum.

People who then act irresponsibly with the gift and endanger their mum's livelihood and lifestyle---I gotta problem. She's got a potential legal liability until he's 21, and maybe after that if her name is on that car title.

This also applies to spoiled princesses who tearfully want huge potlatch weddings that put their parents heavily in debt.

And people who keep having baby after baby while being majorly parentally supported.

Something about "I'm over sixteen, I've got a right to drive," "It's my Day: I should have everything I ever remotely dreamed of," and "I can't help it---babies just happen". I never could get behind these things.

[BrianD]

mum?

[Scuba_Dave]

Originally posted by otolith
It took me until 26 before I had to stop asking my parents for monetary help.

Were they finally poor..?

You're supposed to stop..??

[Kinetic]

I'm glad she did what she did.

A friend of mine's fiance was killed by a 19 year old drunk driver.

My friend had just become engaged and they went on a road trip to celebrate and were getting married in a few months. Starting a new life together and everything. They were the happiest couple I've ever seen!!

On their way home, maybe 30 miles from home, the drunk driver hit their car and they crashed into a tree. My friend's fiance had a bad back and she had a metal rod that was supporting her back. It ripped out on impact and killed her. My friend survived, but let me tell you, losing the one you love is the worst thing that could ever happen to anyone.

I'm glad that the mom sold the car, if not more than that.

[vonodie1]

I commend the mom for doing what she did.

As for being 19 and still under parents care.... Maybe the kid is a Senior in High School or a Freshman in college- like others have said.

I, on the other hand, graduated HS at 17 and didn't turn 18 until the following October. (before the new kindergarten age went into effect of must be 5 years old before Sept. 1). I moved out of the house that summer....

[english83]

I think the punishment is fitting. My Dad would have done the same thing and I would have been chained up in the basement.

To this day I thank whatever higher being that I still lived with my parents when I was 22. If I had been living on my own when I got sick, I may not be here today. Now at 24 I have moved out of my parents house and I'm renting a room from my future in-laws.

[Muttling]

rock on

[crrichey]

He broke the rules and lost the car, sounds fair to me. Being humiliated by his mother... Well I don't know how I feel about that. I know nothing of their past history, what kind of person the son is, or anything else. However if MY mother did this to me (I wouldn't drink and drive, let alone just leave booze in the car) it would seriously hurt the trust I had in her. The situation could be handled between the two without publicly humiliating him. Losing your car seems like punishment enough but like I said, that really would only apply to me I don't know what kind of people they are.

[RandalB]

Originally posted by PoukieBear
Finally! Someone with some good parenting skills!

Take notes Poukie, you'll need those skills in a few years....


RandalB

[spike78]

Being treated like a child has nothing to do with your age, but with your actions. 19 or 50, he accepted help with preconditions, broke those conditions as well as the law having an open container in the car. His mother had every right to do what she did. He's old enough that if he doesn't want to live by her rules, he doesn't have to. He can move out and buy his own car. Instead he entered into a contract with his mother and broke it not even 2 months later. Are those the actions of an adult?

I hope I have the courage to do the same thing when my girls grow up.

[otolith]

Originally posted by Scuba_Dave
Were they finally poor..?

You're supposed to stop..??

Yes, and I was financially secure enough that I could finally stop asking them.

[jpfelix]