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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Lifestyle
Sophie Halle-Richards

Mum praised for 'proper parenting' after getting teenage daughter to litter pick as punishment for misbehaving

A mum has been praised for great parenting after punishing her teenage daughter by getting her to pick up litter on the streets.

Samantha Coughlan, 31, from Wythenshawe, saw a photograph of her 14-year-old daughter walking along a set of tram tracks on Monday.

Angered by her daughter's behaviour, the mum-of-four, who lives in Northern Moor, wanted to set an appropriate punishment.

Samantha grounded her daughter, took away her mobile phone and explained the dangers of what she had done.

She decided she wanted the teenager to give back to the community, as punishment for her reckless behaviour.

Creating her own version of "community service", Samantha got her daughter to spend the afternoon picking up litter - in the pouring rain.

Speaking to the Manchester Evening News , Samantha said: "Unfortunately we can't keep tabs on our children all the time.

"I saw a post on Facebook which showed my daughter and some of her friends walking along the tram tracks.

"I was so disappointed when I saw the post, I was really embarrassed by it."

Mum-of-four Samantha Coughlan was congratulated for "proper parenting" (Samantha Coughlan)

Samantha says when her daughter arrived home, she pulled her up about it and why it was so dangerous.

"I told her she had put tram drivers and passengers at risk as well as herself," she said.

"It's not even worth thinking about what could have happened.

The Wythenshawe Waste Warriors are striving to make the area a cleaner and greener space (Manchester Evening News)

"I had seen a lot of the Wythenshawe Waste Warriors posting and I thought it would be a good idea to get her litter picking for punishment."

"At least this way she is giving back to the community."

Samantha added: "I just took her down a little alleyway which is always filthy - I have to walk that way every day to pick my kids up from school.

"When we finished she was actually quite proud of her work. We filled three bin bags in total.

"It was pouring with rain as well so it felt like double punishment."

Samantha posted the results on Facebook, which resulted in hundreds of people congratulating the mum for her "proper parenting".

"The response has been overwhelming, I wasn't expecting anywhere near the kind of response I have had," Samantha said.

"It's hard to keep tabs on your children all the time but she has promised me she will never do anything stupid like that again.

"I think she's learnt her lesson."

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