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Curfew-Breaking Teen Sentenced to Hard Time - Babysitting for Free
Filed under: In The News, Weird But True, Chores, Social & Emotional Growth: Teens, Activities: Teens
Credit: Adrian McCandless, The Fort Worth Star-Telegram
What we had here was a failure to communicate.
Kristin Rausch should have known better. You do not want to break the law in Texas, a state known for its strict treatment of criminals.
So when the 16-year-old violated curfew, the hammer came down and her parents sentenced her to hard labor.
Make that really hard labor: She has to take care of small children.
Rausch might have been better off with bread and water in solitary confinement, but no, the Star-Telegram in Fort Worth reports, she must donate 30 hours of free babysitting.
Her father and stepmother took out an ad in the Southlake Journal, complete with Rauch's photo, offering her services.
This is Rausch's first experience doing hard time, according to the Star-Telegram. She belongs to the National Honor Society at Carroll Senior High School in Southlake, a suburban community just 10 miles west of the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport.
Yet, curfew is a big deal in the Rausch home, and violating it brings swift and certain retribution.
The Star-Telegram reports Rausch actually got off light. Originally, her parents were going to offer her services to a community service project. But when that fell through, they went with babysitting.
Even so, the newspaper reports, she lucked out, and ended up watching children ages 6 to 10 instead of rowdier babies and toddlers.
The humiliation factor of seeing the ad may have been the worst part of the punishment.
"I was embarrassed," Rausch tells the Star-Telegram. "I had no idea they had done that."
The ad is worded to sound as if Rausch wrote it herself. "My pain is your gain," it states.
"We wanted her to make it up with community service," her stepmother Wendy Rausch tells the Star-Telegram. "My husband got the idea from a situation he encountered at work that people like free labor."
Of course, taking out an ad with a picture of a pretty teenage girl who is available to go to people's homes could be dangerous. The Rausches know that, the Star-Telegram reports, which is why they carefully screened all babysitting requests.
By last weekend, the newspaper reports, Rausch had completed nearly half of her sentence.
Joanne Reding, a neighbor of the Rausch family, tells the Star-Telegram Rausch's pain was definitely her gain. Reding says she was able to attend a weekend meeting that she probably would have missed with no one to watch her 11-year-old son.
"I think this is a great idea," Reding tells the paper. "What she did was very serious, and I admire her parents for calling her on it."
Related: Grounded Teen Uses Facebook to Protest Punishment
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ReaderComments (Page 2 of 4)
8-24-2010 @ 2:51PM
Bill said...Just strikes me a bit scary that they also published her picture...
Reply
8-24-2010 @ 5:08PM
Tex said...I agree, Bill. Also, does she really look "humiliated?" Looks more like she's enjoying the attention and publicity.
8-24-2010 @ 3:04PM
Kristin said...What I want to know is why the curfew was broken in the first place, and how late she was. If she came home hours after she was supposed to and hadnt contacted her parents at all, or was doing something she shouldnt, then babysitting for free is a pretty good punishment. Its also beneficial to the community. But if she was only late because of traffic, or was only a short time late, or whatever she was doing got done late, her parents are being super harsh. I think it also depends on if her curfew was a reasonable time and what day of the week it was. school nights are different from weekends, as well as how often she breaks curfew: first time? super harsh, fifteenth time: good punishment. And did her parents warn her what would happen if she came home late, or did they just say be home by 11 honey..
Reply
8-24-2010 @ 7:28PM
Mary said...Yeah to the parents! Ricky - you sound like you are either one of those teenagers who have no self discipline or if you're an adult, a very immature one...do us a favor and don't reproduce, because I can tell your kids are going to be nothing but brats, with no self-discipline, no respect and no anything postive with you as a father. You were either a brat yourself as a kid or your parents sucked at their job and didn't teach you anything. Either way, you come out on the losing end on this one kiddo. Grow up already and grow some respect and values!
Reply
8-25-2010 @ 4:20PM
Ricky said...actually my parents were great and I wasnt bad at all ! I never hid anything and always said exactly what i was doing and where i was ! If your parents are somewhat a friend as well as parents the relationship is way better ! Im not a kid either i am 28, but i think parents these days SUCK , for one they are scared to do anything to their kids and also by being to strict your kids will go behind your back and do whatever they want anyway. you cant stop so many things like you think you can ! People like this girls parenst are straight up douche bags. How about ground her and take away things she loves, that would have been more effective . And dont worry if im gonna reproduce thats none of your business . I am not immature and was never a brat . My children will be just fine and they def wont be little shelterd nerds like all the strict parents turn their kids into . You sound like a bitch anyway im sure if you have kids they think you are just awesome ! Take the stick outta your ass and losen up ...
8-24-2010 @ 2:57PM
kenster said...Talk about an invitation for rape and abduction. Not only is she beautiful, they put a pic of her, and she she will babysit for free. That is the meal ticket of any deranged, sick pedophile would love to have.
Reply
8-24-2010 @ 3:00PM
dewey00 said...I don't think it was wise to post her picture - there are too many predators out there and her parents have placed her at great risk. Whether they screened the request or not. Making her babysit was a great idea but the ad - definitely a bad idea.
Reply
8-24-2010 @ 3:03PM
Lisa said...You sound like a really winner. You clearly have no children and when you do decide to have them good luck to you.
Reply
8-24-2010 @ 7:02PM
robert said...Lisa, after reading some of your comments I have to ask do you ever watch the news or read a paper. the d.h.s. in most states are under staffed.most case workers are not properly trained.in some cases children are taken away from parents that are doing a good job.and some are left in homes that they should be removed from. to say that any parent that has had their children removed from the home deserve it is just plain stupid. and to suggest that a person who doesn't have kids doesn't know what they are talking about thats crazy. a lot of the case workers who work for d.h.s. don't have kids. so I think it's safe to say that just because you have kids doesn't mean you know what you're talking about.
8-24-2010 @ 3:09PM
mandy said...I think this a a dumb idea. If your daughter is an A student why bother publically humilating her? Overboard parents!
Reply
8-25-2010 @ 6:47AM
JC said...Several comments, including yours, have mentioned the point that she is an honor/A student. What that has to do with inapproriate behavior is irrelevant. She defied a house rule and should suffer the consequences the same as any F student. The total lack of parenting any more continues to amaze me. I often wonder if parents are deaf, dumb, blind...and stupid to not recognize that their children are totally out of control. There are so many, from toddlers to teenager, who have no clue about what it means to be respectful, considerate, honest, etc. I think every parent and those who don't believe in discipline should be sentenced to 30 days in a classroom with 30 (even 10) unruly, obnoxious, rude, defiant, undisciplined, drugged-out, students, theirs included.
8-24-2010 @ 3:16PM
Stephanie said...Ricky, yes they CAN force her to babysit for free. She's a minor and her parents do have that control. I hate to sound like my own mother but here we go "while you live under my roof, you will live by my rules". lol. And I know I will soon say something similar to my own daughter. Anyway, Ricky, your attitude is a perfect example of kids today and their feeling of entitlement. FYI, the world is FULL of law and rules, and you ARE going to have to obey them if you want to get anywhere, so you had better get used to it now.
Reply
8-25-2010 @ 4:19PM
Ricky said...see thats where your wrong, they can not force her to do it ! what are they gonna do kick a minor out? nope, you cant do that either ! she could easily sit on her ass and refuse to do it !
8-24-2010 @ 3:31PM
Peter Van Veen said...Too many times I believe parents let the kids off; they do not follow-through on threat. My hats off to these parents...daughter will probably not have a future issue with coming home late.
Reply
8-24-2010 @ 3:37PM
outside the box said...I think it's a terrible idea. What if I was rapist looking for a babysitter, if you know what I mean? They could have endangered their child. What a bunch of weird parents. I tell ya, they should have offered her an incentive to come home. How about an allowance for coming home ontime, or a new dress? If they had the money to take out a stupid add, which could have endangered their child, then they could have offered her the money to come home on time. They ought to be investigated. Who offeres their child to any wacko in the newspaper? Strange world we live in...
Reply
8-24-2010 @ 4:01PM
sara said...If you have to bribe your kids to do as you say then you need parenting help. When I tell my children to do something, I expect it to be done, without buying them off. The exact quote "they should have offered her an incentive to come home" - WHAT? That is crazy. How about "I was nice enough to let you go out by yourself with your friends, the least you could do is come home by the time I set for you or you won't get the privilege again." This is why kids think they don't have to follow directions or do as their parents say. Ridiculous!
8-24-2010 @ 4:51PM
AreYouKiddingMe said...Sara,
I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU. If you let you kids run the house, that means they are "in charge". I don't think so!!!!
8-29-2010 @ 1:47PM
brntbree said...You should never have to bribe your children with rewards for doing something you ask. Getting to go out to begin with was the reward. Coming home on time should not be rewarded. I think the baby sitting idea was great, even with the pic posted, it adds humiliation. As far as the baby sitting, it didn't say whether she was watching the children at her own home with her parents around or alone in a strangers house. Definitely great idea for punishment if she babysat in her own home or for people her parents knew.
8-24-2010 @ 3:42PM
Jenni said...Not only is this dangerous it should be criminal. How can you screen potential customers well enough to trust them with your child? The Craig's list killer was a Doctor in the making. John Wayne Gacey entertained kids as a clown and Jeffrey Dahmer was a handsome young man. Putting your childs face out there for every pervert to see is unthinkable not to mention the cruelty she must have endured at the hands of her classmates. The punishment should indeed fit the crime. if she disobeyed curfew then ground her. What is her step-mother doing dishing out punishment anyway? That is one sure-fire way to cause family discord. Discipline is her Father's responsibility and he should know better than to do what he did.
Reply
8-24-2010 @ 6:50PM
dougalcandy said...I beg to differ, I am a stepmother and have been since my kids were 4 and 8. Their mother lives in another state and has had little or no contact. The kids live with us, in a house that we pay for and I have to do everything a "real" mother does. Damn right I'm going to discipline, and my husband agrees. Otherwise what's the point of our being a family?