Mom uses Facebook as punishment for daughter

NEW YORK (WABC) -- An Ohio teen has her reputation tarnished on Facebook. Her picture is covered with a red X, and the person who did it is her own mother.

It's a punishment method that's already raising lots of eyebrows.

Denise Abbott accepts that raising a 13-year-old daughter is a challenge.

"If she can't talk respectfully to me, she's not going to be able to talk to anyone else either," she said.

Denise says when her daughter Ava got out of line, mouthing off and creating too much drama on Facebook, she didn't just bar Ava from Facebook, she used it to make a point.

"When you put everything on Facebook, you have to realize there's a consequence for all of your actions," she said.

Denise's profile picture, and her daughter's too, now reads "I do not know how to keep my mouth shut," with a red X over her mouth. That is followed by, "I am no longer allowed on Facebook or my phone. Please ask why. I have to answer everyone that asks."

"We decided to do something that I know would totally impact her," she said. "And that the next time she started that she'd think, 'I don't want my face all over Facebook again with a red X over my mouth.'"

Denise accepts that her methods might draw criticism, much like a father in North Carolina who opted to shoot his teen daughter's laptop when he felt she was acting immature on Facebook.

As for Ava, she says via email: "I was mean to my mom and spoke disrespectful to her in front of my friends. It made me realize that I didn't want my picture on (Facebook) because all of my friends were asking me what happened and what I did."

Denise says she'll accept criticism for her creative discipline as long as her daughter learns a valuable lesson.

"You have to adapt your parenting skills with the times," Denise said.

---
FOLLOW EYEWITNESS NEWS FIRST AT 4:00 P.M. ON FACEBOOK

Get more Eyewitness News First at 4:00 p.m »

• Comment Now
• Email
• Print
• Report a typo
•