April 15th, 2008
Kid Breaks Vacuum to Avoid Chores; Mom Sells Xbox 360 as a Lesson
By Michael Santo
Editor-in-Chief, RealTechNews
Remember the father who sold his pot-smoking son’s Guitar Hero III game on eBay as punishment? The father netted $9K in that auction. The mom here won’t get that much, but at least she’s teaching her kid a lesson.
Here’s the auction. What’s the deal? Here’s what the auction says (spelling errors per the post, BTW):
Yes I am the mean mom who is selling her sons XBOX and games to replace the vaccum he broke but also to teach him a lesson that things cost money, and you should respect your parents. He can do his chores (that still remains on the kitchen table typed very neatly) now knowing that the money he earns will go towards something he bought…and maybe that might make him respect alittle bit more….this is something that has been three weeks coming, he has had numerous changes to get a better attitude…but when I found the porn on his computer that was it…so here we are: Let’s bid
Porn on a teenage boy’s computer? No! Breaking the vacuum cleaner to avoid chores, however, is a new one on me - not necessarily smart, but new.
She also password-protected his PC and apparently put a picture of Snoopy on his MySpace page. Originally she posted the system on Craigslist as well, apparently not realizing she shouldn’t be selling it if she’s auctioning it, too. Or maybe she just thought she should get more on eBay. From the Craigslist post (now deleted):
My son seems to think everything should be handed to him on a silver platter, so the XBOX is going bye bye. I do have an assortment of games as well, that I will sell for $15 each.
Price is firm, must replace vaccum that he broke thinking that would get him out of having to do chores.
Ha, I applaud her for not taking any guff from her teen. Let’s hope she gets enough for a new vacuum. BTW, it seems like eBay needs a new auction category: Good Parenting.
MissingFrame says:
Seems like a sales pitch these days. Like this car was owned by a little old lady from Pasadena who only drove it to church on Sundays.
April 16th, 2008 at 10:42 am
Mikey says:
After reading this headline, I thought he cycled through the airlock without a suit. I’ve read too much Asimov i guess…
April 16th, 2008 at 10:49 am
Vale-ler: « popsalva says:
[…] - Arruma teu quarto, senão coloco seu xbox360 à venda no ebay!!! […]
April 19th, 2008 at 10:32 am
julia says:
why is this stupid female surprised? seems she is guilty of bad parenting like everyone else in the free world these days. maybe if she’d have never bought the thing in the first place……or paid a little more attention to her child in the upbringing process….porn on his computer? how did she not know this?
May 19th, 2008 at 12:39 pm
Paul B says:
“stupid female”, are you some sort of robot? Kid played up, mum is punishing him, sounds like good parenting to me.
May 26th, 2008 at 9:40 am
daizie says:
There are many ways to look at this, and in doing so look right over the main point! Shoulda woulda coulda’s…too late for all that…as for the punishment! BRAVO! As a mom of five(4 boys,1 girl) they understand the realities of money, how to earn it and yes how to lose it.
I would do the same thing, good for her! Could it be a sales pitch? Could be, who cares, someone will buy it and I doubt just because of her sales pitch!
I have gone as far as removing games(consoles and all, tv’s mp3 players, etc) and it worked as well. Our children have made attempts to “fix” things so they dont work. Little do they know, that they will either A. pay for the repair or B. buy a new one. How? Working it off, chores, etc…and stripped of all extras until then. SO then it is up to them, to get it done however quickly to pay it off.
I am in agreement…it is good parenting. Now for the porn? well get a router, check the sites, and lock down the puter! THere are tons of stuff out there for parents. I am just lucky that “daddio” is a Network Security Analyst…lol
May 28th, 2008 at 5:09 am