Two parents from Wisconsin in the US took to Facebook when their teenage daughter got ‘fresh’ with them. What they did was not rant or bemoan their daughter’s lack of manners but instead they posted photos of themselves looking ridiculous on their daughter’s Facebook page.
Facebook bomb
The unnamed middle aged couple confiscated their daughter’s mobile phone for a week, hijacked her Facebook and then executed the social death blow by posting goofy photos of themselves on her Facebook wall. One photo has them pictured cross-eyed and flashing a peace sign and giving new meaning to the term ‘photobomb’ or in this case Facebook bomb. This photo was later posted on another social networking site ‘Reddit’ by the couple’s son with the message, “My parents took away my sister’s phone for the week [and] ‘They’ve uploaded about 10 of these to her Facebook. Doing it right!’
Humourous or humiliating?
Though the punishment might seem humourous and silly to most, it could have repercussions for the daughter’s social life. This is especially true in this day and age where people are judged not just by how they walk, talk and dress but also what they post online and their Facebook statuses. Hopefully it will be taken in good humour and her friends could commiserate with her on her parents’ creative way of punishment.
Taking punishment to social media
This is not the first case of parents punishing or calling their children out on social networking sites. There are numerous other cases where things went a little too far such as the mom who had photo-shopped a red ‘x’ over her 13-year-old daughter’s mouth in a photograph and posted the picture on Facebook with the words, “I do not know how to keep my [mouth shut]. I am no longer allowed on Facebook or my phone. Please ask why.”
Such online ranting or shaming is not just limited to parent to child. Many incidents in Singapore even involve children complaining and condemning their parents, family and even teachers in Facebook posts.
We asked local parents here if social media is changing the way they discipline their kids and we got some suprising answers.
Cindy, 48, a mother of one 15 year old boy and one 20 year old girl says, “I still punish my sons the old fashioned way, with a rotan (especially the younger one) as I’m from the school of thought that spare the rod and you spoil the child. However for the older one, I do threaten to confiscate her phone and cut the internet line if she doesn’t listen to me. “
Amir, 57, father of three teen boys has done some extreme things to discipline his kids. He remembers cutting the computer and internet cable when his son refused to stop playing computer games and he has done it more than once. He has even switched the keys of his son’s motorbike when he had come home late one night.
Hanna, 32, mother of a 4 year old boy, says, “I would not consider using Facebook or social media to punish or shame my child. Discipline is a very private and personal matter and by putting it online for the world to see, you are asking everyone to judge both you and your child. I think that such things is akin to public shaming and that can be very poisonous and dangerous.”
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Source: Parents upload mortifying photos to daughter’s Facebook as punishment
