Mother makes son wear sign saying he is a lying, thieving, drug dealer.

[ohiosmith]

LOUISVILLE, KY. (WDRB) -- A mother in Fort Wayne, Indiana says she's at her wit's end with her son's behavior, so she's making him wear a sign that says, "I lie, I steal, I sell drug, I don't follow the law."

Dynesha Lax says her 14 year old keeps committing crimes, and that his punishments aren't tough enough to get him to stop.  She explains, "I decided he broke the law and they only gave him a few hours community service, so I decided that we were going to wear a sign that says you looking for attention, we're going to get you attention."

She made him stand with the sign on a busy street -- but some drivers actually called police on the mother.  Officers say, though, Lax is completely within her rights to make her son stand on the side of the street.

She says she's just trying to save her son.
Link: http://www.wdrb.com/story/16498852/indiana-mother-makes-son-wear-sign-detailing-his-crimes

[moriah]

1. Isn't this old?

I swear I remember something very similar from years back.

[ohiosmith]

2. Dated today. Just saw it on the tube.

[seabeyond]

3. i remember a parent doing this. and people being angry. it seemed like a different one.

really, i am impressed a kid this age would do what his mom said. says something for the kid.

[LiberalAndProud]

27. Maybe this is what we're remembering.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2029105/Townsville-mother-makes-son-wear-humiliating-Im-thief-sign.html

[TwilightGardener]

4. I feel bad for her. She must feel she is out of options and must be heartbroken.

However, public shaming of a 14 year old is probably going to backfire.

[Duer 157099]

5. How'd she get him to wear the sign?

If she can get him to do that, I bet she can get him to do other things too.

[Enrique]

7. that was my thought

if he is such a badass, why doesnt he take off the sign?

[Cleita]

6. Maybe mommy dearest is the reason he steals, etc..

I'll bet if he does something right, she doesn't praise him or even notice. I don't think humiliating a kid this way is going to get him to stop any bad behavior. It might even make it worse.

[virgogal]

8. That's it,blame the mother. Maybe

Dad doesn't praise him enough either.

[Cleita]

11. Yes where is dad? He should be giving mom a clue about parenting or helping out.

Who else would you blame other than the mother? Seems she's the one humiliating the child which I find abusive frankly. I don't think it will help discipline a difficult child one iota. It him make them even more obnoxious because of the resentment he will feel about it.

[Politicalboi]

14. You're right

She should be out there with him with her own sign. I think he wants attention, and he is 14 years old.

[roguevalley]

9. then again he earned a penalty. this

Kid earned a penalty and his mom gave it to him. Someday it will be prison. I applaud her. Shame isn't always bad. His self esteem is going in the wrong way. Malignant narcissism will get him dead someday at the rate hes going.

[Curmudgeoness]

17. I respectfully disagree.

A mother who cares enough to worry about him and punish him is not a bad mother.

Are you a mother? It is not always the parents' fault (mother, father, both) that a kid goes the wrong direction. Apparently, all else has failed so far.

She cares, and she is trying. Give a break---there are a lot of things that she could do if she was frustrated that are abusive. This is not one of those things. Better than burying him, because that is where he is headed.

[HuckleB]

22. How would you know?

Seriously?

[Cleita]

23. I don't, but obviously

tough love seems to win in this place. Glad no one I know anyone who parents their kids this way.

[HuckleB]

24. Since you don't know shite about the situation, you don't even know if this "tough love."

[Cleita]

25. I doubt if you know more than shite either. n/t

[Ecumenist]

10. I COMPLETELY agree with her approach

She's trying to save his life. If he continue to go down this road, he'll end up of two places- 1.) in prison or 2) in the grave.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

12. I think she's got a great idea.

So many liars learn it works (and go further down the spiral) when they receive no punishment....other than maybe a lot of screeching and lecturing.

Peer group pressure is a powerful behavioral control. Using it for needed discipline is a great idea.
I absolutely disagree with the criticism of the mother---so old. There ARE kids who run amuck no matter how good a job their mother....or father....or both...or motherS...or fatherS...or guardian/s do.

The sports analogy is a good one too.

[mopinko]

19. i think lying in kids is a test.

is anyone paying attention here? no? nobody notices my bald faced lie? then i better learn to fend for myself, cuz ain't nobody paying attention to me.

[HuckleB]

21. It can be many things, on many layers.

It's not a simple thing.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

30. yes....or, also can be a part of the personality

intrinsic to the kid.....

that's my opinion, anyway. I don't actually have kids, never wanted them.

[Politicalboi]

13. Maybe he's looking for attention

Maybe that's why he steals and sells drugs, and why he wears the sign. I think he would change if he and his mother and or father gets some help. Hopefully there is a resource center of some kind they can get help.

[slackmaster]

15. She's right. That shit he sold me wouldn't get a fly high.

[ohiosmith]

18. Hahahaha!

[JVS]

16. All publicity is good publicity.

He's going to be able to move a shitload of drugs when he's done being punished.

[Mopar151]

20. He's already got a "spot" n/t

[Liquorice]

26. I don't like it at all. First of all, public shaming shouldn't be done to

anyone, much less children. Secondly, I am of the belief that bad parenting lies at the heart of most really bad (atypical) acting-out behavior. So maybe the mother should wear a sign listing her shortcomings and how she failed her child. Third, there are a lot of cruel people in the world, and they may taunt, shame, laugh at or even physically hurt that child. Fourth, the sign is missing an 's.' It's "I sell drugs," not "drug." If you're going to shame your son on a public street, at least get him to make the sign grammatically correct.

Wayward teenagers are usually acting out from bad parenting. JMHO

[Kellerfeller]

28. I disagree completely

Isn't Occupy, in part, about shaming the corps and CEOs who are doing bad things?

Rejection of ones peers is a HUGE motivator in determining a person's actions. Do people avoid farting in public or burping at the table because they will be prosecuted or punished? Of course not. It is because it is not socially acceptable.

By shaming people, it makes them embarrassed for their activity rather that just having to accept a punishment from "the man".

If we did more shaming in our society of those doing bad things, there would be fewer people doing bad things. Yes, it is subjective to what individuals consider "bad", but if a bunch of people in society consider it bad, it probably isn't a good idea.

[monmouth]

29. Those who sell the drugs, make nothing, the people further up the chain are the ones who rake it

in. A lesson he needs to learn in the drug economy. The bigs don't go near the streets, avoiding arrest. He's a tool in their game and needs to learn many lessons. Mother is doing the right thing IMO..