Mom’s Tough-Love Letter For Her 13-Year-Old Son Goes Viral

Mom’s Tough-Love Letter For Her 13-Year-Old Son Goes Viral
Zachary Stieber
2/12/2016
Updated:
10/24/2017

After a mom’s 13-year-old son asserted his independence, she gave him a harsh dose of reality.

Heidi Johnson’s son told her that she had “no right to enforce certain rules” or to “control him.”
 That prompted Heidi to make up a roommate contract to give him a “lesson in independence.”
The post was intended only for friends, but shared with others by accident, Johnson said.
(Facebook)
(Facebook)

“The child is going to have a rude awakening today after the words he exchanged with me last night. Not only will be find this on the door, but his mattress stripped, and the toys and clothes that I bought confiscated. He will have three options.. Buy his own, rent his clothes at $3 a day, or renegotiate his terms of being a child. Mama’s done playing games and being a doormat,” she said.

In an update, she said her son was at first livid but eventually apologized and “earned” back some of his stuff. Though her son is relatively young, he earns a significant amount of money from being a YouTuber.

The mother apparently got a harsh dose of criticism for the note. But she clarified that it was meant to be shared with only her friends.

“It has made a difference though. When I ask him to do something, he does it. Today, I was down for count sick. When he got home from school, we discussed his day, looked over homework and grades, and then he asked me to write out a list of what I needed him to do today. He did those tasks, and I allowed him a little bit of screen time. I keep all the electronics, and allow him to use it during the time I allocate it. If he doesn’t give it back when I say time is up, he won’t be able to have screen time again for a while. He can earn back some of his other items instead,” she added.