Mad Mom? Throwing the Kids Out of the Car
Going viral after going ballistic wasn’t on Madlyn Primoff’s mommy-do list.
But the story of the fed-up New York lawyer/mother who kicked her bickering daughters out of the car and onto the curb of a suburban street spread faster than flu, as parents around the world weighed in on whether the action was irresponsible—or irresistible.
“They had it coming. Give her a medal,” was typical of comments in support of Primoff, whose 12-year-old daughter managed to get back in the car, while her 10-year-old—in tears—was picked up by a stranger who bought her ice cream before calling the cops.
The family was three miles from home when Primoff made good on one of parenting’s most oft-repeated threats: Stop fighting or I’ll stop the car! “As a responsible parent, she gave her children a choice,” said another supporter, “and when they ignored her, she followed thru. I say good job!”
But the police said You’re under arrest. Primoff was jailed overnight and charged with endangering the welfare of a minor, an action many supported in online comments. “If the girls were acting up, then punish them when they get home,” wrote one. “You do not leave a child on the side of the road alone. Ever.” Another said, “It’s our job as parents to protect our children…Maybe she should put herself in time-out next time she has a mommy meltdown.”
There’s something larger going on, argued a prominent mom-blogger, who saw Primoff’s actions as a “mommy misdemeanor” and cautioned that her story “should not result in a free-for-all vilification of a mother-gone-bad.” Primoff made a bad choice, she continued, “but should she be condemned to wear a scarlet M? I’m not interested in judging her. I’m more interested in hoping that the public scrutiny fixated upon her will further expose motherhood for the truly complex job that it is.”
Tell us what you think: Were Madlyn Primoff’s actions irresponsible, irresistible, or something else? A “mommy misdemeanor” or a “mommy felony?” Does her right to decide how to deal with her squabbling kids have to conflict with the law?
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they aren't babies they are preteens!!!
good for her! The girls weren’t infants or toddlers. 10 and 12 year olds usually walk around town with friends or simply to get to a specific place. I’d only worry if the time was late in the evening.
I think we as a society have over protected our children and when they do have to face a consequence everyone overreacts.
yolanda Garcia | 1 month, 2 weeks ago
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Is this really true
I can’t believe my eyes and what they really read, a mother putting her daugther out on the side walk and like pulled off on her a lawery at that. Did she get prosecute and convicted her like the rest of us would have been. When my two daughters act up in the car and I have to talk to them over and over again and they getting on my bad side I just pull on to the side when it safe to and punish them, to let them know that I really mean bussines. I will never ever put my kids out on the side walk no matter what they do are have done, kids going to be kids that’s why their mothers there for to teach and to learn them, and not be putting them out the car on the side walk. It could been possible for that child ever returned home. Did the state take the child like they would have take our child? If not why? Because is it she’s a “lawyer”.
Shannon Curry | 1 month, 1 week ago
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Daughter....
Well, I am 18 years old and my mother had done the same thing.
we were in the car with my brother and sister and as usual we were fighting cause I was 12 and my bro-sis 6 so my mother told us “you will stop fighting or i will stop the car” we didn’t stop. So, she stopped the car and we were out BUT she didn’t live she made us in front of the car on the side were the pedestrians walk and she was following us the car…we walked less than 20 meters and then she told to get back in and we left quietly…These 10 minutes were really embarrassing and we were crying. We didn’t feel that we were alone…and i think if that lady had done the same thing and she had left her children alone I would say that she acted very wisely she gave a choice as my mother did…My mother has the same technique for everything and I don’t blame her. Furthermore,if she hadn’t follow what my mother said that time I would take her serious next time. Only by this way, I learned that when you drive you must be really concentrated and not to pay attention to what is happening in the back sit.
Thank you for reading.(sorry if I have spelling mistakes.)
Ioanna Mavroeidi | 4 weeks ago
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