AIBU in thinking that this gentleman should win The Parenting Award?

[StealthPenguin]

This video is eight minutes long, so for those that don't have time to watch it, I shall summarize.

Last year, this gentleman, Tommy Jordan, warned his daughter of the consequences if she were to do something stupid and inappropriate on Facebook. At the beginning of this month he was fixing her laptop (and installing $130 worth of software) when he managed to find a post on her Facebook wall that claimed her life was unfair, that she's a slave, and her "lazy-ass parents" make her "do shit for them". Not only this, but she goes on to exaggerate her chores list and curses to high heaven. She then deliberately hid it via her privacy settings so that her parents couldn't see it on her Facebook wall. She did this incorrectly, and the post showed up while Mr. Jordan was fixing her laptop.

He decided to read out this "letter to my parents", and he then addressed some of the issues on it. Firstly, that she refuses to get a part-time job, and only applied to one job because he handed her the application and watched her fill it out. Secondly, that her chores list is not that large. Thirdly, that she expects a new camera, new battery for her laptop, new phone and software upgrades whenever she needs it. She also referred to a woman who couldn't afford to pay Mr. Jordan in conventional terms as their "cleaning lady".

After 6 minutes of discussing how wrong she is, how insulting and upsetting and disrespectful she is being, and how she was warned of the consequences, he proceeds to put eight rounds of ammunition into her laptop. Seven for him, and one on behalf of her mother.

Not only does she now not have a laptop, but she won't get one until she pays for it herself. She also owes him for the ammunition that he used.

Now, I don't know about you, but I think that's perfect. I would never be so disrespectful to my parents, and if I were then I'd probably suffer a similar punishment!

He has explained that his reasons for doing it are a) to teach her of the value of a dollar. If she has everything handed to her, she'll just assume that her parents are going to bankroll her. b) to teach her that what is said on the internet will last a lifetime, if not a good few years. So by being so horrible on a public forum she has humiliated herself and her family. c) That his word is to be taken as gospel, and that there are consequences to her actions.

I think he's very sensible to have done that - it's a dramatic and drastic action, but in his own words "sometimes with teenagers you have to be dramatic".

What do you all think?

as

So the message is that if your child is disrespectful towards you,you deal with this by publically (worldwide) humiliating her and find something to shoot?

Can I just repeat; The dog has a facebook account.

I really think we should bear this in mind. All the time.

Yep, it works for me, Birds. She wants to publicly humiliate and disrespect her parents and be a spoilt brat, I have no sympathy for her. No-one died of what you call "humiliation".

@ tethersend

What a nut, I wonder what will happen if she displeases him in a more serious way, take out a kneecap? Kids exaggerate, complain and have no understanding of adult responsibilities, THEY AREN'T SUPPOSED TO! Punishment needs to be fitting not ridiculous.

If someone had shot my computer when I was a teenager I would have just thought they were a moron and laughed about it behind their back, because I was rude, irresponsible and had no clue about life, as appropriate for my age.

I'm sorry, he was trying to teach her how to behave online by humiliating her and berating her and then SHOOTING HER LAPTOP?! This is what is classed as good parenting? He's essentially just said 'you can't vent and be obnoxious online, but I can'. What is wrong with just explaining to her that she broke his rules, why what she said was inappropriate and then confiscating the laptop? He's acting like a stroppy agressive little brat himself.

Bullshit. He wrote a fb post and in response he humiliated her and their whole family- to the whole world? I agree they both sound like a couple of attention seeking drama queens and can't begin to imagine anything positive in the family that will be achieved from his behaviour

He didn't shoot the lap-top because he's American.
He shot the lap-top because he's a cunt.

Was the laptop an Apple? In which case I can see an argument to give the guy some more ammo.

Surely if it was an Apple he would have used a bow and arrow? And perhaps balanced it in his daughter's head?

Imhereallweek

I am never very impressed by parents who moan in public about how spoilt their own children are. You should have done something about that then, mate!

Yes, teens can turn out horrible with the best parenting, but they can't turn out spoilt unless someone has been doing the spoiling.

When teens find themselves hard done by they get it out of the system by having public tantrums. Adults are not teens. Or they shouldn't be.

I may not have much sympathy for the teen in question. But the whole point of parenting teens is that you show them a better, more mature way of putting your views across and demonstrate that this is actually more effective. If you want them to grow out of the teen stage, that is.

Shooting it was over the top, I'd have sold the thing, myself. Everything else he's said makes perfect sense.

Can I just say, people on this thread are going on about how he "spoils" his daughter....

How many of you have teenagers? How many of you have teenagers with an expensive mobile phone? A laptop? Netbook? iPod? iPhone? iShuffle? Their own computer? Hair straighteners? TV's in their bedrooms? DVD Players? Games consoles?

And I bet most of you don't see it as "spoiling" either.

She doesn't treat her shit with respect, she loses it. He just managed to find a very inventive way of ensuring she isn't getting it back.

I've read thread-after-thread about teenagers going off the rails, and someone will inevitably suggest going into the bedroom of said teenager, bagging up everything except for the bedsheets and the furniture and throwing it away. And nine times out of ten someone will suggest the removal of the bedroom door too!

Just because he managed to get his point across in an unconventional way doesn't mean that he's any worse or better than most of us.

I think he was bang on the money, personally. I can see exactly where he's coming from, I can see exactly why he did it, and I can see exactly why he thought it would be a good idea.

I think it's brilliant.

No, he's a penis.

He was OTT. He could have confiscated the laptop. Doing that online is a disgraceful way to treat his daughter.

He said he'd moved out of home at 15, had a job and put himself through school/college. Good for him doing that but it isn't normal life for a 15 year old.

Not for being annoyed with his daughter - I'd be steaming at that little outburst myself, but for his el thicko, I'm-a-big-man, bam bam bam performance.
Shooting a laptop....what a clown.

YABVU

pictish, I agree, I can understand him being annoyed at her putting that online but don't agree with the way he dealt with it.

What a waste of money.

I work with teenagers who have severe ESBD and have gone further off the rails than anyone would think possible.

Is my opinion valid?

Do I win £5?

THE DOG HAS A FACEBOOK ACCOUNT.

she is 15 she is the product of their parenting and society she lives in

didn't we all think life was unfair at that age no one (over the age of 25) could possibly understand how we feel

what an utter prick something is very wrong with an adult using a gun to prove a point

What a fuckwit.

what a scary thread

and what a horrible man

poor girl, you should be allowed to whinge about things whether it's justified or not

Just watched the whole 8 minutes.

Agree with the dad's sentiments.

Disagree with his methods.

I might have been tempted to sell the laptop/donate it to a charity. I would not have posted anything on FB - way too personal to share!

omg the more i think about this the more distubing it is, i am the boss i have a gun remember that, that message is loud and clear i am not surprised she is better behaved

and he goes public with this - what a messed up society if the ss and police force think this is an appropriate way to behave towards you child (though i doubt all would agree)