Va. to mom: You should have let them drink and drive!

Being a parent has got to be one of the toughest jobs on the planet. It's certainly a 24/7 job for a minimum of 18 years, and in this economy that usually extends well into their 20's.

In 2002, Elisa Kelly and her ex-husband George Robinson hosted a birthday party for their son Ryan -- who was turning 16. For trying to be responsible parents Kelly and Robinson now face 27 months in jail.

Kelly, who believed the kids attending the party were going to drink regardless of what she said or did, reasoned that supplying the alcohol and keeping them home would be safer than having them out drinking and driving. She said she made a deal with her son that no one could leave.

"No one left the party," said Kelly, 42, who collected car keys that night almost five years ago to prevent anyone from leaving. "No one was hurt. No one drove anywhere. I really don't think I deserve to go to jail for this long."

Kelly and Robinson -- the boys' stepfather -- were charged with nine misdemeanor counts each of contributing to the delinquency of a minor resulting from the August 2002 backyard birthday bash. Both were originally sentenced to eight years, but the sentences were reduced to 27 months. The case was appealed to the Virginia Supreme Court and then the U.S. Supreme Court, which recently declined to hear it.

My parents used the same reasoning when I was in high school many years ago, and my sister and I were allowed to drink at home. It actually took the fun out of it, since we didn't have to sneak around like some of our friends.

Kelly called the punishment harsh, excessive and politically motivated. "I'm not a hardened criminal," said the woman, who does not have a criminal record, not even a parking infraction. "I'm just a mom."

[Albemarle County Commonwealth's Attorney James L.] Camblos, who has made curbing underage drinking part of this year's reelection campaign, denied any political motivation. "Politics had nothing to do with it. I've seen too many photographs of teenagers being killed in car wrecks because of drinking and driving."

That's an excellent argument, however none of these kids were going to go anywhere. Kelly had taken their car keys.

"I made a big mistake. I know that," Kelly, a stay-at-home mother, said this week. "I am so sorry." Her son Ryan was so distraught that he dropped out of school and wants to serve her sentence for her.

All appeals have been exhausted, so Kelly will serve the time.

Let's recap some recent (or recently discussed) sentences:

I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby - was sentenced to 30 months in prison for lying and obstructing the CIA leak investigation. The motivation for his crime was to mislead the American public, which has resulted in the deaths of thousands of young men and women, and countless injuries.

Paris Hilton - was sentenced to 45 days for driving under the influence, after her drivers license had been suspended for driving under the influence. Her actions placed all around her at risk.

Genarlow Wilson - was sentenced to 10 years for having consensual oral sex with his girlfriend, where no one was at risk.

Elisa Kelly and George Robinson - were sentenced to 27 months for allowing underage teens to drink beer and wine at Kelly's home, where Kelly had confiscated all their car keys so that they could hurt themselves or anyone else.

Anyone besides me see a pattern here?