'Mean Mom' Gives Son Public Lesson on Drinking

Jan. 10, 2008 — -- Jane Hambleton had two rules when it came to her 18-year-old son and his car.

"Keep it locked, and no alcohol at all," she said on "Good Morning America" today.

So when she discovered alcohol under the seat of her son's vehicle, Hambleton thought of an innovative and public way to teach him a lesson. She took out a classified ad to sell his vehicle.

It read:

"OLDS 1999 Intrigue. Totally uncool parents who obviously don't love teenage son, selling his car. Only driven for three weeks before snoopy mom who needs to get a life found booze under front seat. $3,700/offer. Call meanest mom on the planet."

The ad garnered much attention.

"I know that if you want to move something, you want to sell it, it has to stand out," she said.

Her ad did stand out, and she received a slew of phone calls.

"I got about 70 parents, but nobody wanted to buy the car," said the 48-year-old from Fort Dodge, Iowa. People just called to support her and thank her for standing up for herself.

The "meanest mom in world" moniker was part of her salesmanship, and Hambleton said she figured every parent had been called that at least once.

Hambleton's son Steven, who is now 19, said he learned of the classified listing when a friend called his mother's cell phone asking for the "meanest mom in the world."

"My friends gave me a hard time," he said.

Hambleton said she never intended to generate publicity. She really only wanted to sell the car and said she was not looking to gain attention.

"The intention was to sell the car," and not humiliate her son, she said.

The story exploded after Hambleton gave an interview to her local newspaper, the Des Moines Register.

Though she did sell the car, according to The Associated Press she plans to keep the ad up for another week just to receive feedback.