The Moore Family: Worse than Military School

I recently heard something that strikes me as about as strange as possible.  Our family has a reputation.  Jon did a foster parent training on Saturday.  Since it was unexpected, the social worker doing the training almost had to bring her 16-year-old son with her to the training.  Because of this, we learned about our reputation.  This social worker is someone who we have literally never worked with--she's not placed any of our children, has never been to our home, has never led a training we have attended, etc.  Our agency is small, however, so we have noticed that we seem to be known.  We are greeted by our names even when we have no idea who is greeting us, for example.  

This social worker told Jon that her family has an ongoing joke/threat.  When her teen misbehaves, she threatens to send him to the Moore family!  What?!  This social worker who we don't know is threatening (jokingly, of course) misbehavior with us?  When her teen heard she was conducting this training for Mr. Moore, he replied that this was his chance to meet his new dad!

I don't know why, but this shocks me a bit, knowing that our family is used in this way.  Jon swears she means it as a compliment to our parenting.  I, however, think our family is actually a great threat for teens everywhere, and I think it is time to start marketing ourselves as such.

"Does your teen constantly complain about his one little brother bothering his things?  Threaten to send him to the Moores where there are 6 little brothers and  1 sister under the age of 5!  You think you're being bothered now?  Just wait!"

I don't think we'd ever have to take these wayward teens in--the fear this threat engenders would be quite enough!  My own big kids could give heartfelt testimonials.  We could charge a fee per threat.  The money could buy Jon his non-mini-van-looking mini-van in no time!