Being a parent to a cocky, disrespectful teenager is far from easy, and different parents have different approaches to get their children to behave.
One mom, Heidi Johnson, wrote a handwritten letter to her son, Aaron, and shared it on Facebook. She didn’t intend for the post to go viral. She didn’t even intend to make the post public. It was supposed to just be for friends to see, but she does not regret her post or the fact that it’s public.
In the letter to her 13-year-old son, Johnson reprimanded her son treating her like a “roommate.” She went on to give him an itemized bill for rent, food, etc that totaled over $700. If he was going to treat her like a roommate instead of his mom, she would do the same.
Johnson signed the note, “Love Mom,” and she truly does love her son. She followed up the post with another post explaining some backstory to the situation. She also reassured parents who were criticizing her that “I am not going to put my 13 year old on the street if he can’t pay his half of the rent. I am not wanting him to pay anything. I want him to take pride in his home, his space, and appreciate the gifts and blessings we have.”
She added that she never intended for Aaron to pay the bill. Instead, she wanted him to “gain an appreciation of what things cost.” The reason Johnson wrote the note was to make sure her son understood “what life would look like if I was not his ‘parent,’ but rather a ‘roommate.’ It was a lesson about gratitude and respect from the very beginning.”
Johnson also explained that before she wrote the note, her son had lied about doing his homework, and when she told him she was going to restrict his internet access, he responded, “Well, I am making money now.” She explained that the money he was referring to was a little bit of income he was making from his YouTube channel, but not nearly enough to pay for food and rent.
The public note has not hurt Johnson’s relationship with her son. She explained, “He and I still talk as openly as ever. He has apologized multiple times.”
Johnson has also had parents turning to her for advice since she posted the note to her son. She explains, “My post seems to have opened a door, and people feel safe coming to me and asking for advice, venting, or even just have someone bear witness to their experience by listening and opening up and sharing a piece of myself in return.”
My Son’s Unexpected Find in My Boyfriend’s Room Changed Everything
Mia, a single mom, felt hopeful about her new boyfriend, Jake. They planned a weekend trip to his childhood beach house, and it seemed perfect. But everything changed when her son Luke found a hidden box full of bones, turning their getaway into a nightmare.
Hi, I’m Mia, and I teach fourth grade. I love my job because it lets me shape young minds and gives me time to spend with my son, Luke.
Being a single mom is tough, but I’ve raised Luke mostly on my own for five years. His dad isn’t really in the picture, so weekends with him are more of a distant memory for Luke.
Things started to change four months ago when I met Jake. He’s also a teacher, kind-hearted, and his laugh lights up his face. The best part? Jake loves kids.
But I wasn’t sure how Luke would feel about me dating someone new. He had always been so attached to me, and I worried that sharing my time with another man might upset him.
Still, I knew it was time to introduce Luke to Jake, even though it made me a bit nervous. After thinking about it for days, I finally decided to go for it.
“Hey, Luke-a-doodle,” I said one sunny afternoon, finding him busy with his elaborate Lego set. “How about meeting someone special for lunch this weekend?”
Luke looked up, a playful sparkle in his eyes. “Special, huh? Like superhero special or birthday cake special?”
“More like friend special,” I replied, feeling a bit nervous. “His name is Jake, and he’s a teacher too, just like me.”
Luke frowned. “Another teacher? Does he have a beard like Mr. Henderson?”
Mr. Henderson, our friendly custodian, was famous among the kids for his impressive salt-and-pepper beard.
I laughed. “No beard, but he has a really cool laugh.”
Finally, Saturday came. With a mix of excitement and nerves, I took Luke to a local pizzeria to meet Jake.
At first, Luke clung to my leg, unsure. But Jake quickly made him feel comfortable.
“Hey there, Luke!” Jake said with a big smile, crouching down to meet him. “I’m Jake. Your mom says you’re a Lego master?”
Luke looked at me first, then back at Jake. I saw a spark of curiosity in his eyes. He slowly took Jake’s hand, gripping it firmly.
“Yeah, I can build spaceships and T-Rexes!” Luke replied proudly.
“Awesome!” Jake said. “Maybe you can teach me a thing or two sometime. I’m pretty bad at anything more complicated than a simple tower.”
That got Luke excited, and I could see his confidence growing.
The rest of the afternoon was filled with dinosaur facts, Lego tips, and Jake’s (not-so-great) attempts to copy Luke’s builds.
By the time we left the pizzeria, Luke couldn’t stop talking about Jake’s “funny laugh.”
That first lunch was just the start. Over the next few weeks, we enjoyed many outings together: picnics in the park, trips to the zoo, and even a hilarious (but messy) bowling game.
After several weekends of fun and a growing bond, Jake and I decided it was time to take our relationship to the next level.
Recently, Jake invited us to his parents’ house by the ocean. He thought it would be a great getaway for all of us.
Honestly, the idea of a relaxing weekend by the sea sounded perfect. Luke was excited too.
When we arrived, Jake’s parents, Martha and William, welcomed us with warm hugs. Their house had a cozy charm that reminded me of childhood summers.
“Come on, let me show you guys my old stomping ground!” Jake said, leading us up a creaky wooden staircase.
At the top of the stairs, Jake opened the door to a room.
“This is it,” he said proudly. “My haven, unchanged since I moved out for college.”
The room was a blast from Jake’s teenage past. Faded posters of rock bands covered the walls, their edges curling with age.
“Wow,” I said, feeling a wave of nostalgia.
Meanwhile, Luke raced across the room, his eyes wide with excitement.
He knelt beside a dusty box filled with plastic figures and tiny race cars.
“Cool toys, Jake!” Luke shouted.
Jake laughed, grabbing a handful of the toys. “These guys are veterans of countless battles,” he said, kneeling next to Luke. “Want to see if they can still hold their own?”
Luke’s face lit up. “Can I play with them here?”
“Absolutely,” Jake winked.
As Luke started playing, Jake took my hand and pulled me closer.
“What’s wrong, Luke?” I asked, my heart racing.
“Mom, we need to leave now because Jake…” Luke’s voice trembled, and his eyes were wide with fear.
“What about Jake?” I pressed, trying to stay calm.
“He was in his old room! I found something… something creepy!” Luke exclaimed, pulling me harder toward the door.
Confused and worried, I knelt down to his level. “What did you see, honey?”
He took a deep breath. “There was a box with bones in it!”
My stomach dropped as I glanced back at the stairs, feeling a mix of concern and disbelief.
“Calm down, sweetie. What’s wrong?” I knelt beside him, trying to soothe his anxiety.
“I found a strange box with bones in his room. We need to go!” he blurted out.
“What do you mean, bones?” I asked, my heart pounding.
“In a box, under his bed. Real bones, Mom!”
I stared at him, my mind racing with possibilities. Had I trusted Jake too quickly? He had always seemed so kind and caring.
Could he really be hiding something so sinister? Doubts crept in, and I felt a chill run down my spine.
We spent the rest of the day relaxing by the ocean, the earlier tension slowly fading. That strange incident marked the start of a deeper bond between us, and now we often look back on it with a smile.
Jake even chuckles about how I rushed out of the house with Luke that day, calling it a memorable adventure. It brought us closer, and I knew I had made the right choice in letting him into our lives.
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