CLANCY OVERELL | Editor | CONTACT
Short of physically striking her own children, local mum Deborah Maley has taken things about as far as you can when it comes to the ‘hard but fair’ tactics of a suburban disciplinarian.
The drive up the coast was supposed to be a joyful experience, as mum had promised a trip to the shops to look at new video games – instead she was pushed to the limit by a series of factors that none her kids have been able to identify.
It seems that a bit of light-hearted pinching in the backseat has been enough to push her over the edge.
“I’ll turn around. Do you want to see your cousins or what?!? Leave your brothers alone!” she roars.
With her husband still back at home finishing up work, her middle child coming home from school with his first detention and her youngest going down with a flu that could easily spread through the house like wildfire – Deborah is not fucking around.
“Get over it” says her oldest, Jenny (13), who has recently discovered the pre-teen art of mum-versus-daughter attitude.
“What did you just say?” asks her mother, with a look of fire in her eyes that would scare the fuck out of anyone except her daughter, who is more than willing to go toe-to-toe.
“You are so dramatic” says Jenny.
Within seconds the entire family sedan is currently moving in slow-mode through a busy intersection, as Deborah pulls off probably one of the most illegal manouveres she has ever attempted, a U-turn into oncoming traffic, without looking. Her eyes remain firmly locked with Jenny’s.
With whimpers from the backseat, Deborah’s new problem child Jenny sits with a dropped jaw, as she realises just how serious mum is.
The entire car trip home is followed by a rapid-fire of apologies from each child, but mum has made her call.
“There will be no Xbox until 2019”
