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A South Carolina Mom Gets Creative in Punishing Her 13-Year-Old Son for Smoking Pot
After a South Carolina mother caught her 13-year-old son smoking pot with a group of his friends, she devised a plan to ensure he would think twice before doing it again.
Instead of grounding him or taking his iPhone away, likely most parents’ knee-jerk reaction, April Mathison of Beaufort instead forced her son Brandon to stand and walk along the city’s main intersection with a sign that read, “Smoked pot, Got caught! Don’t I look cool? Not!”
“Timeouts and taking things away from them just don’t seem to work anymore,” Mathison told local NBC affiliate WTOC. “Sometimes a little public humility, you know, is what they need nowadays to get a point across. And if this works for him, and maybe saves one or two other students from thinking about picking this stuff up, then I feel like I’ve done my job as a parent.”
Brandon, visibly humiliated, said he doesn’t plan on puffing the magic dragon again anytime soon.
“I got to change my life and stop,” he told WTOC, adding “I don’t want to do this again.”
(H/T:: Gawker)
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Comments (105)
Zoe
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 7:18amIf he’s smoking pot maybe you didn’t do your job……
But, maybe you did….
Who’s he hanging with…….
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huey6367
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 8:21amHe got it from mom wh has not been caught
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Poggle The Stick
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 10:49amBeginning at that age, teens make about fifty percent of their choices. At 14, they naturally make about 70 percent. And at about 15 and 16. 90 to 95 percent. When they hit 18, it’s 100 percent.
Now, there is not much she could have done to prevent this from happening. Besides, God might have NEEDED him or WANTED him to go around with that sign – it will change a lot of people’s lives, and it can help parents realize how punishments need to work.
Don’t blame the mother! Besides, I would assume that right now and for a long time that she will be devastated and disappointed. This was his mistake, not hers.
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sasquatch08
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 5:13amBleh, is pot harmful? Probably not. Is it a gateway drug? No.
The reason it might lead to other drugs has nothing to do with marijuana itself, but rather the type of people (the criminal element in society) that it draws, many of whom use harder drugs. Hang out with these people long enough and harder drugs seem cool and safe.
That said, if she doesn’t want her kids smoking weed (really, what parent would!?) then whatever punishment, within reason, that she deems necessary she should use. Nuff said.
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toejam
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 6:18amMaybe not “harmful”. Just makes one dumb. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/9426205/Cannabis-smoking-permanently-lowers-IQ.html
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Melika
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 7:56amAt that age, drug use of any kind permanently changes brain chemistry and results, at best, in a permanent reduction in intelligence. It is not a benign drug, nor is it appropriate to use it as a recreational drug. The “logic” from pot users is that it isn’t as bad as crack or X, but that doesn’t make it good, especially in a child. Beer isn’t as bad as Vodka, but we wouldn’t consider it appropriate to allow a child to imbibe.
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JRook
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 9:55am@Melika Spare us the unsubstantiated nonsense. A beer and a shot of Vodka have the same amount of alcohol and thus the same effect on the body and brain. Let’s try and have a somewhat intelligent discussion on the use patterns and effects of mild recreational drugs vs. the continued spread of nonsense. If you sit around and drink beer all day you are certainly no better off than someone who sits around and smokes pot all day. But then again, that is not the average user of either. If you really believe in less government intrusion into people’s lives than a recreational drug that is no less harmful than alcohol should be legalized. The reason it isn’t has more to do with the liquor industry lobbying and money than the facts.
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jungle J
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 9:58amyou speak as a burnout would or a hater of youth or a mental case…..you cannot be that stupid!!
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jungle J
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 10:02amJRook…you only make sense to burnouts.
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AvengerK
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 11:40amummm…actually SASQUATCH..new study just released says constant cannabis use throughout one’s life will reduce your IQ, memory and attention…PERMANENTLY. Keep trying champ.
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FREEDOMoverFEAR
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 11:47amA lot of lies are taken for facts with marijuana. First of all Harvard nueroscience discovered brain cells aren’t grown just in prenatal development but rather they regenerated your entire life. The most detrimental thing to brain cell growth was stress! Secondly Harvard nueroscience also determined marijuana doesn’t permanently effect intelligence or cognition. http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/2001/10.11/marijuana.html
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FREEDOMoverFEAR
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 3:19pmToeJam
There are so many conflicting studies on marijuana. Some studies say it does in fact make you more stupid (dumb means you can’t speak) others say that it doesn’t. It’s about as decided as global warming.
http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/2001/10.11/marijuana.html This study says it does not affect intelligence and or cognition.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-19372456 This study by Prof. Terri Moffitt says that it does affect intelligence and cognition.
I believe the Harvard study to be more valid because they required the people to be sober while taking the tests while Prof. Moffit allowed them to be stoned during the tests. Harvard’s study showed their test results improved after a week of being sober. They felt the reason they did poorly during the first week was due to withdrawals rather than the marijuana because after a week the person’s scores improved.
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toejam
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 4:35pmFreedomoverfear
According to the Oxford and Merriam-Webster dictionaries one of the definitions of dumb is indeed a lacking of intelligence or good judgment; stupid; or dull-witted. We can argue all day over accurate or inaccurate studies of marijuana use. I unfortunately have first hand experience with a long-term heavy user. A very smart person at times. Not so much the remainder. An idiot-savant. It’s frustrating and sad. This person acknowledges that heavy smoking of weed for thirty years has caused severe issues. If it can happen to them, it can happen to anyone. But hey it was “their choice” and they suffered the consequence.
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grayling646
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 2:56amHe’ll quit when he decides to quit (if he decides to). Doesn’t matter what Mama does.
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jungle J
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 9:59amunlees he loves her nd wants to please.
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FREEDOMoverFEAR
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 3:29pmExactly right Grayling.
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Slowman101
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 2:56am@ BLESSEDONE333: SHE should get mom of the year, and YOU should getsomecommon sense you moron.
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Exiled
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 7:54amAny psychologist will tell you that this sort of “punishment” isn’t very effective in the long run.
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OhioRifleman
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 10:27am@ Exiled
Which is why I think it will work. I take little stock in psychologists, after having been misread by them for decades.
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PurrrpleMtnMajesty
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 2:29amAnd our prez wants to legalize it…..then what will kids do to rebel?
Too bad those in power or in the public eye (hollywood, musicians, sports players)
do everything possible to undermine good parenting by promoting heavy drug and
sexual experimentation.
With more parents like this one, there is hope for this nation as our only hope
is in our youth. With libs dominating and embarassing kids who have conservative
values from kindergarden thru college, kids have so much pressure, not JUST from
their peers, but from their teachers, professors and from those they admire (leaders, famous,etc)
Even our prez is a former cocaine user and seller according to his own book.
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essence428
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 6:55amHe says “former.” But we all know he LIES.
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starman70
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 7:35amThe government has been on a strident anti-smoking campaign for quite a few years, yet we have a president who is a smoker and he even wants to legalize SMOKING pot.
Sounds like a double standard to me!
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scruffycat
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 2:16amPot? He should have at least gotten to smoke some good hash for all that sandwich boarding.
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face.chewer
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 2:00amThat kid should just smoke crack like his mama.
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SerikFox
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 1:59amMom of the month; and possibly mom of the year award.
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marine249
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 1:54amdid yoy see the **** do on that
female news reader? I think I need
my 1st hit.
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canon
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 11:29amhahahahah I saw it !!!
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Meggars53
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 1:51amGreat job, Mama!
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Master_and_Commander
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 1:35amI like this mom haha
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QuincySmith
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 1:45amI do too!
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v15
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 2:56amNaw. She’s teaching her son that it’s okay to be overweight. Obesity kills A LOT more people than weed does.
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The Jewish Avenger
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 8:04amFunny thing about pot heads and liberals, not only do they think that their way of “living” is right, they also think their arguments are sounds points as to why they are right….
Ever heard a paranoid dope head get all in a huff and argue about their reasoning why they shouldn’t get flak for smoking dope? (Dope, there is reason why that is slang for retarded)
Sounds like a liberal to me…
3. Informal A stupid person; a dolt.
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thegreatcarnac
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 12:56amIt is sad that a 13 year old was already smoking pot. I know that they are starting early these days but it took me by surprise anyway. Pushers need to have stricter punishments. Build more jails. Fill them up with pushers and never let them out.
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v15
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 1:20amThe sentences for most drug-related crimes are too severe. The “war on drugs” is a joke. Many sex offenders and rapists serve less time in prison than those people who distribute or use drugs. Drug “pushers”? You obviously know jack **** about drugs, meds, and naturally occurring substances. Totally brain washed.
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ICRedifURBlue
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 1:36amMy kid is 15……..if you sell to her, and I catch you………..RIP………sorry for your momma’s loss……
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v15
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 3:04amMurdering a drug dealer is still murder. But I guess it’s better to teach your 15 year old that murder is okay and smoking weed is bad? Thanks for your psychopathic input.
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Kupo
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 5:01amExactly, V15. It’s amazing the levels of sociopathy so many people on this website stoop to.
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Moment of Clarity
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 5:21amThe US has a larger % of it’s population in prisons than any other country, solely because of pot. Far more death and misery is brought into people’s lives by alcohol than by pot, yet alcohol is legal and pot is not. Pot should be legalized, regulated and taxed like alcohol. The only reason pot is not legalized is because too much money and many jobs – courts, law enforcement, prisons, alcohol industries, etc., are dependent upon it being illegal. It’s always about the money.
If the boy got caught drinking, he’d still be walking with his sandwich board.
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SCREW-WINDOWS
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 7:21amObviously there is a need to escape life’s bummers but do you just mask it or or make a change in your life. Pot heads just mask their ills and will never find happiness.
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grimmster
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 8:13am@v15 aka encinom.
Figured you would respond to this article and with multiple user names, imagine that, you crackhead pos.And as was said, had a pusher even come near my kids when they were that young, dead meat.
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jungle J
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 10:00amv15…me thinks the doth protest too much.
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FREEDOMoverFEAR
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 3:28pmTheGreatCarnac
You need to have harsher punishments for the users. It is easier to dissuade an individual from using than it is the prevent a person from selling drugs. There will always be a person willing to break laws for financial gain. Take California for example they still punish dealers but the state reduced punishment for end users and drugs are ubiquitous in this state. Wyoming will lock you up for possessing a pipe so their aren’t many people who use drugs there. So why would anyone try to take drugs to sell there? Simple supply and demand trust me I’ve been in the marijuana community for over 16 years experienced it first hand in both states. It can take a week to get an 1/8th of an ounce in Wyoming and about 30 minutes in Comifornia.
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FREEDOMoverFEAR
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 3:36pmGrimmster I love the passion. That’s how you should feel about your children’s health. I would like to remind people there’s a difference between a pot head and a person who uses pot. I have been a pot head and it’s tough to find motivation to accomplish simple tasks. Having said that I would also like to point out that I still consume pot, just far less far less often and I feel that it doesn’t effect my life negatively what so ever. I am an extremely productive citizen and pay out the rectum in taxes.
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LeadNotFollow
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 12:16am…
Tough love is the best love. What a great Mom.
She cared enough to intervene and get involved.
The kid got off pretty light. In addition to walking the streets wearing a sign, I would have grounded him, and took away his phone, TV, video games, and computer. He would have had to earn each item back, one at a time.
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Elena2010
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 12:56amAmen to that!
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The-Monk
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 12:09amWell, the good thing is that if he keeps smoking weed… he will have experience as a “sign spinner” and will have a great career in Tampa Fl.
Hey Brandon, people on Craigslist are looking for you.
What goes up must come down
spinning wheel got to go round
Talking about your troubles it’s a crying sin
Ride a painted pony
Let the spinning wheel spin
You got no money, and you, you got no home
Spinning wheel, spinning all alone
Talking about your troubles and you, you never learn
Ride a painted pony
let the spinning wheel turn
Did you find a directing sign
on the straight and narrow highway?
Would you mind a reflecting sign
Just let it shine within your mind
And show you the colours that are real
Someone is waiting just for you
spinning wheel is spinning true
Drop all your troubles, by the river side
Catch a painted pony
On the spinning wheel ride
Someone is waiting just for you
spinning wheel is spinning true
Drop all your troubles, by the river side
Ride a painted pony
Let the spinning wheel fly
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HOOT_OWL
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 3:31amThanks Monk.
Now I wont be able to get that song out of my head.
And I’ll be humming it all day long.
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RJJinGadsden
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 6:44amHi MONK, remember that one well from my early days.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kK62tfoCmuQ
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SCREW-WINDOWS
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 7:26amI take it he wasn’t high when he wrote that but reflecting on truth.
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Psychosis
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 12:04amshoulda spanked his azz …………………
and the nosy liberal that calls child services afterwards
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NineteenEighty4
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 1:32amYes, corporeal punishment shows just how much unconditional love there is between a child and parent. No, don’t teach children wrong from right, through words and your own actions. Punish any instance of wrong with physical and emotional violence, just to show how much you love them. This will surely work. If it doesn’t, you aren’t hitting hard or frequently enough.
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OhioRifleman
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 10:46am@ 1984
I believe the corporate version of what you are fronting is: “The beatings will continue until morale improves.” Little more succinct than the paragraph you dumped.
I’m not making judgments on this one, but I’ll say this much: the faster this brat learns the world is not a nice place, the faster he will become an effective and disciplined member of society. Leaving someone under the ‘kinder, gentler’ illusions of youth leads to the mush-head liberals that have destroyed this country. The sooner, the better.
As to the value of spanking, I got a 2″ police duty belt when I really fouled up. Painful? Certainly. Traumatizing? Arguable, but for sure I didn’t make the same mistake twice. Effective? Oh hell yes. End result: I am easily one of the most civil and respectful persons I know, with a minor grading curve for my profession (computer technology / security – virus elimination specialist) being one to draw profanity out of a saint.
Psychology only goes so far. Results determine the value of actions and reactions, not the opinion of an uninvolved party.
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this1can
Posted on August 27, 2012 at 11:59pmSounds like it wasn’t the first time he smoked pot it sounds like he done it a few times. I don’t know if this was enough to do the job. Maybe she should make him smoke a couple joints and then walk around with the sign. Then he would feel really dumb Love/pray
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FREEDOMoverFEAR
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 3:42pmKeep him busy with sports and other activities. Search his pockets, search his room, go through his phone record, give him urine analysis’s, make sure his grades aren’t slipping, don’t let him have any cash, get to know his friends, and judge him by the company he keeps. If he slips up punish him severily.
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v15
Posted on August 27, 2012 at 11:50pmThis is ridiculous. Total BS that the government can criminalize a naturally occurring indigenous plant.
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Anonymous T. Irrelevant
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 1:08amYou mean like poppies, poison ivy, and night-shade plants? Everything in the world came from the earth, even so-called man-made items.
Oil is a natural earth-produced substance, steel is iron-ore and carbon, aluminum is the third most common element, behind oxygen and silicon. plastic comes from oil.
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v15
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 1:33amThere is a long multi-step process involved from turning coca leaves and poppy plants into refined cocaine and heroin. I’m talking about a plant like marijuana that doesn’t go through any transformation from wholesale to user. Hash, however, would be an exception.
Hopefully you aren’t free basing poison ivy. Oil, Aluminum, and other examples you cited are not illegal – I’m not sure where you were going with that….
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SCREW-WINDOWS
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 7:30amThere really isn’t a law against natural occuring things it’s what idiots do with them.
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The Jewish Avenger
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 7:50amSo its all natural like eggs and sugar…
…but you smoke it
uh ugh uh uh hu hu hu hu
Sorry, pot is the drug for retards and the dying, you’ll never convince me otherwise.
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Smokey_Bojangles
Posted on August 27, 2012 at 11:48pmShe does realize with a government that LOVES throwing people in jail he can be carted off by Eric Holder? Or is she just that mad at him for stealing her stash?
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VotersOfNY
Posted on August 27, 2012 at 11:42pmWhy is she punishing him? Obama said it was okay to smoke pot, snort cocaine and drink lots of beer. Well, maybe he didn’t actually say it wasn’t okay, but he said he did it himself and never said that it was wrong and he regretted it.
In fact he joked about it when they asked if he inhaled and said that’s what it’s for, isn’t it. He’s proud of doing drugs so why is this mom punishing her kid. He could grow up to be president one day.
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Smokey_Bojangles
Posted on August 27, 2012 at 11:51pmConsidering what the Commie is doing to his Hippie buddies in California for selling medicinal Marijuana…….Hope Eric Holder don’t snatch the kid up.
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TJexcite
Posted on August 27, 2012 at 11:41pmIf she gave him to the cops they would go come back in 5 years when he is a hardcore user and then we will put him in jail over night. This would help prevent that, but where did he get the pot as that person should be the one answering to a judge.
Why does a 13 year old have a iPhone in the first place. Cutting the service with to no data plan over taking it away will get his attention in the long term over a day of embarrassment that will pass.
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whatthecrazy
Posted on August 27, 2012 at 11:39pmhope it works…….
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BlessedONE333
Posted on August 27, 2012 at 11:37pmthe mom needs to be arrested for child abuse
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FedUpWithAllOfIT
Posted on August 27, 2012 at 11:47pmArrested for child abuse? Dumbest post I’ve seen all day and that is saying A LOT because I have read a boatload of news articles today. You must not be a parent.
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Jezreel
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 12:03amBlesseddone must be joking or they are not blessed with brains.
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Anonymous T. Irrelevant
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 1:17amShe needs a medal for doing what most non-involved parents won’t do. Where’s the dad, BTW?
She also needs to get him away from his so-called friends.
She is doing this, because she loves her child, something you seem to know nothing about.
I’d bet you have no children, you just like telling other people how to raise theirs.
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v15
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 3:11amThe overweight mother needs to be put down before she turns feral. Women like this love taking away one’s freedom of choice. Let the kid make up his own mind!
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pghpatriot
Posted on August 27, 2012 at 11:36pmThirteen! “I got to change my life and stop.” He’s almost not old enough to HAVE a life! Don’t you just love how PROGRESSIVE we in the USA are? I guess the next entitlement we’ll have to add to Obamascare is buying acne creme for all teenagers, especially the girls so we aren’t accused of hating them as well. Probably one of Obummers daughters will go before Congress and lobby for that. Then all the same gullible, bigoted, and brain dead women who swallow that we hate them, can swallow that we hate their daughters. That’s not stupidity. It’s ignorance!
Three cheers for the SC mom who just might be onto something. Got to give her an ‘A’ for effort. At least she cares enough to try. I wonder if she is a home-schooler?
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Winedude
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 12:03amI doubt that he’s home schooled. If so, it’s probably less likely that he would have easy access to the pot. As one who favors complete legalization of marijuana, it is disturbing to see kids this young trying it. I don’t know that a single day of embarrassment is as effective as taking away his iPhone. Oh yeah, the kid was an idiot to get caught smoking with his friends…just sayin’…
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HOOT_OWL
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 2:29amWell if this don’t work ,I’m sure the Paulbots can recruit him.
They can always use another pot-head to carry a protest sign.
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kaydeebeau
Posted on August 27, 2012 at 11:21pmGood idea – though – he would have to have ajob and buy it himself to have a cellphonewere he my child, not to mention, he weould go only to school and do his homework…….
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American Soldier (Separated)
Posted on August 27, 2012 at 11:35pmThis is exactly how it should be handled. By parents with corrective actions at home and maybe even a bit of embarrassment for added effect. Otherwise, adults who can be responsible with it, just like with alcohol, can live free and smoke hard.
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Exiled
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 7:59amAmerican Soldier: embarrassment isn’t as good of a deterrent as the general public likes to think. Peer pressure will almost always win out over mommy-and-daddy pressure.
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Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
Posted on August 27, 2012 at 11:20pmI wonder if he got high before walking around?
Yah, now he will stick to the drugs you can’t smell, like Oxycondin, Coke, and Narcotic suppositories.
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FREEDOMoverFEAR
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 3:47pmI thought weed was a suppository, damn no wonder I never felt high.
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