Mom On Strike, Marching Up And Down Road: Teen Daughters ‘Out Of Control’


Naasira Muhammad is one ticked off mother. The single mother from North Carolina has taken to the streets in a one-woman march because her two teenage daughters’ disrespectful behavior has led her to a place where she no longer knows what to do. The final straw occurred when one of the girls became angry at her and keyed her brand-new minivan, according to Muhammad. The Winston-Salem mother said she even called the police after her van was scratched up, but the police told her they couldn’t do anything without eyewitnesses.

“I’m to the point where I’m just so frustrated, so to keep my hands off my kids or to keep me from doing something crazy, I just decided to go on strike. I walk up and down the sidewalk until my knees hurt, and then I sit down. My children have everything that they could possibly want and need, but yet still, they are disrespectful. They are rude. They think that I’m the meanest mom in the world. They think they can survive without me, so I said, you know what? That’s fine. This mom is going on strike.”

Muhammad had been reportedly picketing since last Friday. She told WFMY that punishments like time-outs and lectures don’t work with her teens.

“I threw my hands up in the air. I prayed about it. I’m through. I’m a mom on strike, and I don’t care how long it takes.”

Most parents of teens would find it hard not to sympathize with the woman’s feelings, though most have not taken to the streets.

Her girls also took to the street after being forced by an aunt to make gratitude signs, according to WFMY.
One sign read “Thank you mom for providing for me, caring for me, and loving me.” They haven’t tried to genuinely apologize on their own, though, according to People magazine.

Psychologist Jill Weber told ABC News that the strike is likely unhelpful. It shows the girls she has no real control over them, Weber said.

“As a single mother, it’s difficult to draw limits. It can be pretty daunting. It’s important to get a support system.”

This support system can be in the form of therapists, church groups, community mental health centers, support groups, and schools. Taking care of yourself and getting support from others can then empower you to start setting simple, but firm limits to get your teens in control, Weber said. It may sound easy, but many parents agree that it is not.

Despite the mixed reactions Muhammad has faced, she feels she is doing the best thing in her circumstances.

Going on strike “is the only solution that I could think of other than get rid of my children,” Muhammad told WFMY.

“But I would not go to that extreme.”

When ABC News stopped by her home on Friday, Muhammad was not there. Her “Mom On Strike” sign still sat in full view on the front porch. While it’s unclear if the mom and daughters have reached any agreement at this point, Muhammad told WFMY in an update that she plans to pursue family counseling as a way to work out their differences.

[Photo Courtesy of ABC News]

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