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Mom uses unconventional tactic to discipline children
Convictions of Faith ^ | 9/23/13 | Convictions of Faith

Posted on 09/30/2013 1:42:52 PM PDT by ConvictionsofFaith

On my daily commute home from work I passed a small shopping center in Chichester, PA where I saw a young boy and girl holding signs in front of the Family Dollar store. I initially thought they were raising money for something but as I slowed down I read the words "I STOLE" on the boy's sign. I turned around and drove by again to get a closer look at what the signs actually said.

photo 2.jpg I STOLE CANDY FROM FAMILY DOLLAR. MY MOTHER DID NOT RAISE ME THAT WAY.

photo 1.jpg I STOLE A $100 CELL PHONE FROM FAMILY DOLLAR. MY MOTHER DID NOT RAISE ME THAT WAY.

I pulled in to the parking lot and spoke to the kids mother Kim who explained to me that she was punishing them for stealing from the Family Dollar:

"He came to the store and stole a $100 cell phone and tried to pretend that he found it. But little did he know, I'm an investigator; I found the package and made him bring it back to the store. And she stole candy." Kim said she and her kids (12 year old son and 9 year old daughter) have lived in the area for about 4 years and that she is felt that drastic measures needed to be taken to discipline them this time. Early on in our conversation she pointed out how well dressed her kids both were and that her sons sneakers were worth more than the cell phone he stole. She was making a point that she works to support her children and that they are well taken care of and don't have any reason to steal.

One of the first things she said to me was, "I'm not going to let the streets take them over." She repeated that a few times. Clearly this mom is concerned about the influence others may have on her kids. She even told me that her son actually had a cell phone but she had taken it away from him at the time that he stole from Family Dollar.

I asked Kim how she felt when she found out about the stolen goods. She shook her head and said, "I felt ashamed, embarrassed, hurt and humiliated."

As we talked people drove by beeping and giving her the thumbs up. One woman stopped and told Kim that she was glad to see a mother taking control of her children this way because it shows how much she cares about them. I was surprised at the overwhelmingly positive reaction during the short time I was there. Kim said that lots of people stopped by and expressed support for what she was doing. She said that students from Temple University stopped to speak to the kids then she pulled out a flyer she received from someone representing the local Boys and Girls club.

Towards the end of our conversation Kim said the kids had about 10 more minutes before they would be putting the signs down and heading home. I asked her if she thought that this was effective in teaching them not to steal and she said "absolutely."

"They see everyone responding like 'go mom' 'good parenting' 'if we had more mothers like this there would be less crime' ... I don't want to lose my child to these streets. They are young now and this is teaching them a valuable lesson and they see all the response." It was clear to me that Kim's biggest concern was that her kids learn that there are consequences to ones actions and that stealing is serious.

"If it starts off with a cell phone and candy, the next thing you know it will be somebody going into a store, a robbing the store. Or robbing a person. No, we're not having that. I'm not having that." I asked Kim if it was okay for me to speak to the kids on camera and she agreed. Not surprisingly neither of the kids were overly excited to speak to me but when I asked them if they learned their lesson, they both said yes.

VIDEO

I believe that parents have every right and responsibility to discipline their children in order to correct bad behaviors. Kim came off as a very concerned and responsible mother who loves her children and wants to make sure that they learn right from wrong.

Parents have been in the news recently for publicly shaming their children in hopes of correcting their bad behavior. The tactic has become quite controversial. Some people think the whole notion of shaming children in public as a corrective punishment is perfectly acceptable while others find it to be ineffective, wrong or.even damaging to children.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Chit/Chat; Education; Local News; Miscellaneous; Religion; Society
KEYWORDS: discipline; family; parenting; philly
This was my first time personally interviewing anyone for a story on my blog. I know a lot of people find this type of parenting as ineffective or wrong but I believe that it might actually work. Full disclosure, I'm not a parent yet but I am a daughter and I know that the last thing I ever wanted was to be embarrassed or called out publicly for doing something wrong.
1 posted on 09/30/2013 1:42:52 PM PDT by ConvictionsofFaith
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To: ConvictionsofFaith
Go mom! Who ever said the Black Family was unredeemable?


2 posted on 09/30/2013 1:44:43 PM PDT by Uncle Miltie (Ted Cruz for President!)
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To: Uncle Miltie

Thank G-d for mothers and fathers who hold their children accountable.

3 posted on 09/30/2013 1:45:42 PM PDT by Uncle Miltie (Ted Cruz for President!)
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To: ConvictionsofFaith

CPS will soon take these children away, that is phcho-mo=-logical abuse you know....

/half sarc/ half prophetic...


4 posted on 09/30/2013 1:47:17 PM PDT by GraceG
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To: ConvictionsofFaith

This is what those parents whose kids trashed that ex-football players home should have done instead of threatening to sue him.


5 posted on 09/30/2013 1:50:09 PM PDT by RginTN
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To: Uncle Miltie

GOOD DADDY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Congradulations


6 posted on 09/30/2013 2:01:00 PM PDT by Mr. K (Lies, Damned Lies, Statistics, and then Democrat Talking Points.)
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To: GraceG

Closer than you think, I am all for teaching children this way but I had an acquaintance do that and the store filed charges over a $20 item. Granted stealing is stealing, but you might not get what you are bargaining for sometimes when you merely want to teach a lesson.


7 posted on 09/30/2013 2:02:44 PM PDT by Resolute Conservative
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To: Resolute Conservative

The first lesson should have been to take the child back to the store in question and make full restitution - then beg for mercy - then put the sign on out on the street. If it ever happens again, then just stone the kid.


8 posted on 09/30/2013 2:05:10 PM PDT by Sioux-san
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To: ConvictionsofFaith
good on them, guess they thought it was better than identifying their bodies in the morgue some day...
9 posted on 09/30/2013 2:10:46 PM PDT by Chode (Stand UP and Be Counted, or line up and be numbered - *DTOM* -vvv- NO Pity for the LAZY)
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To: ConvictionsofFaith

My father would have tied me to the buggy return rack and made me say, “Hello. My daddy says I’m a thieving little bastard and I’d better straighten up if I know what’s good for me. Have a nice day.”


10 posted on 09/30/2013 2:11:33 PM PDT by servo1969
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To: ConvictionsofFaith

I don’t have kids either but I do think that would be effective. I have seen stories like this in the past and some of them were about how the authorities stepped in and accused the parent of child abuse. I sympathize with parents who have to fight the government in order to raise their children with good values.


11 posted on 09/30/2013 2:54:50 PM PDT by TigersEye (Stupid is a Progressive disease.)
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To: Resolute Conservative

So? The kid was guilty, the store had the absolute right, one could even say DUTY, to pursue it with vigor.

If it were my kid I’d tell the manager to press for the max, and let the system have them. No money, no defense, no pity. I refuse to be embarrassed by an ill behaved child.


12 posted on 10/01/2013 11:29:11 PM PDT by Fire_on_High (RIP City of Heroes and Paragon Studios, victim of the Obamaconomy.)
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To: Fire_on_High

Maybe you should study a bit on juvenile justice centers before you say that I doubt you would stand your ground then. I am all for training children and prosecuting thieves. I am strict on criminal prosecution.

That said, I am vehemently opposed to taking a child who is a good kid that makes one mistake and allowing them to be thrown in with the animals. I am not talking about your kid commits assault, rape, burglary, or violent felonious acts. You child steals a small item and you make restitution and amends and train the child but the court now takes your baby and puts them in detention. You cannot get them out for a certain period of time. There they are victimized from simple intimidation and beating to rape and murder. This all happens within minutes to a few hours of being there. Imagine being there over several days or longer. If you allow that to happen you have failed your children.

And I speak from experience in dealing with criminals and a spouse who is high up in the state prison system. We know what happens in those lock ups. I make no excuses for a child of mine that commits a crime, but I will fight to keep that child out of lockup not short of leaving the country for a crime that is not a hardened crime.


13 posted on 10/02/2013 7:07:47 AM PDT by Resolute Conservative
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To: Resolute Conservative

No. The cold hard reality that if you do something stupid you’re gonna get the shit knocked out of you on a daily basis, and quite possibly much worse, if you screw up, and I wouldn’t do a single thing to prevent it but everything in my power to encourage it, is intended as the HIGHEST incentive to not screw up at all.

I was always told “Don’t bother calling me if you get into a car wreck or get into trouble. I don’t care and the system can have you, because I’m not going to be stuck with your embarrassments or debts!”. If I ever have kids I plan to do the exact same thing because it made me TERRIFIED of getting into trouble and bringing shame.


14 posted on 10/02/2013 4:52:42 PM PDT by Fire_on_High (RIP City of Heroes and Paragon Studios, victim of the Obamaconomy.)
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To: Fire_on_High

You live in a fantasy land where you think all things are static. Yes juvenile halls/jail was no fun back in the day, but now days it is close to a death sentence for a relatively good person who makes a mistake. You take a 100 pound 12 year old that is basically a nerd and not a bad kid of sorts and makes the error of stealing something from a store and put them in juvy and you have scarred that kid for life not just mentally but perhaps physically as well. It is not Andy Hardy style lessons anymore. The system is taxed they really do not care if your kid lives or dies as long as they can keep the flow going.

Yes I lived under the guise of “if you get arrested don’t call me” but back then I would have done my time waiting for bond and gotten out unscathed except for having the crap scared out of me. The “regular” kids that are in that system that you advocate putting your kid with are vermin and there is 100 times more of them than there were 30 years ago. It is basically a gladiator training site.

I submit do a little hands on research before you start having kids.

And yes I am not for legalizing drugs and dealers suppliers need heavy jail or more but putting the light occasional user in jail is a crime on us to have to pay for it.


15 posted on 10/03/2013 6:21:52 AM PDT by Resolute Conservative
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To: Resolute Conservative

Actually, I already knew all of that. My opinion stands.


16 posted on 10/03/2013 7:46:57 PM PDT by Fire_on_High (RIP City of Heroes and Paragon Studios, victim of the Obamaconomy.)
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