Parenting Advice from the Mothers of Serial Killers

Every parent seeks out advice at one point or another. If they don’t do it ahead of the birth of their first child, they absolutely do it at some point during the panicked nights, tedious days, and stressful months that follow.

In most cases, advice is sought on how best to rear a child without completely screwing them up. Still, there’s a lot to be said for learning from the mistakes of others. That’s why I decided to compile advice lifted from the childhood stories of some of our most infamous murderers.

After all, anyone can grow up to be a killer, but it takes a mommy to make a monster.

Never Underestimate the (Commercial) Value of Your Child

Kathleen Maddox did not set out to be a mother. She was only 15 when her son was born and listed him as “No Name Maddox” on his hospital birth certificate. Kathleen traveled with her unnamed child back home for her mother to name him. Kathleen had married a different man, Bill, towards the end of her pregnancy and, once her mother had given her son a first name, added their newly minted surname: Charles Manson was officially ready to meet the world.

Motherhood did not come easily or sit well with Kathleen. Bill left within a few months of Charlie’s life, leaving Kathleen a single mother at 16. Parenthood proved a bit much for the young girl and she soon realized she didn’t want to raise her son. “I guess I had a tendency to be a little wild, the way kids will,” Kathleen remembered in a 1971 interview.

While eating at a local restaurant, Kathleen balanced an infant Charles on her lap while having lunch. She struck up a conversation with the waitress who made a fuss over the baby and confessed she had always wanted a child of her own. “A pitcher of beer and he’s yours,” Kathleen offered. The waitress laughed it off, but brought the extra beer and, once Kathleen had finished her meal and her drink, she left Charlie behind. The waitress did take him home but Charles was reclaimed a few days later, after Kathleen’s uncle found out what had happened. After that, Charles…