Mother Deloris Had a Strict Punishment for a Suspended 12 Year Old Michael Jordan

A relationship with one’s mother is special for everyone. A motherly bond always consists of stories of love, scoldings, emotions, and anger. Even if she scolds, there is love and care behind it. Michael Jordan’s mother was no different either. Jordan had a loving family growing up. But his parents were always strict when they needed to be.

This one story of his mother being extra hard on him stands apart. It shows how his childhood was, while also narrating how he learned from it. This story also shows what his mother means to Michael and why he regards her as an “unbelievable woman”.

Deloris had to be strict because 12-year-old Michael had gotten suspended after an episode of fighting in school. It wasn’t the first time he had gotten into a fight in school. So Deloris made sure that she wasn’t going to let the child lay around the house all day, watching TV. But rather, take a bold step to never let that happen again.

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“He tells me it would be considered child abuse today,” Deloris said about her punishment and chuckled. “But it was a tough age and I knew I had to set the precedent. I took him to work and made him stay in the car all day and read. I could see him from the bank window, I wanted him to know I was always watching him. We went to lunch, and then after dinner, I knew a lady at the library, so he stayed there and read some more. We didn’t have any more trouble from him after that.”

The Jordan Family’s impact on Michael Jordan

Michael is the youngest of 5 siblings. His family consisted of his mother, father, 2 elder brothers, and 2 elder sisters. Being the youngest of the family, he always got extra encouragement and appreciation. But it did not mean they weren’t hard on him.

Constant competitiveness from brother Larry, the strictness of the army from brother Ronnie, two elder sisters always testing him, his father’s casual taunts and insults, and his mother’s strictness for example the story of punishment for the 12-year-old Michael. Moreover, that is exactly what a family means. Loving and caring for each other and being serious when needed. 

However, for a long time, the Jordan family did not really know what he had his mind set on. He was not like his brothers or father, who would be natural with tools and handy work. He was also not like his sisters, who were creative. Michael was something different. And he made sure to show everyone how different or much rather rare he can be from the rest of the world.

Also read: Young Michael Jordan Writing “Embarrassing” Letters for Mother Deloris That She Never Threw Is the Perfect Mother’s Day Story

One often learns everything from how he is raised. What Michael did in his life was a testament to how his parents raised him, and how his family supported him and cared for him. There are countless stories of how Michael’s family impacted his mindset, attitude, and outlook on life, which he obviously took upon in the entirety of the rest of his life.