I am the Mean Mom

And it is a compliment

I am the “Mean Mom.” I am a mom who doesn’t give in to peer pressure or trends.

I am the “mean mom.”

I am the mom who held out the longest out of all my son’s friend’s parents to give their child a phone. I firmly believe kids don’t need them, especially not free-for-all access to the internet.

However, I am a mom who believes in boundary lines with children; those lines grow wider as they age.

Emerson was the only one in his class without a phone, and his friends had been asking him to get one for years.

He had to prove I could trust him, which didn't happen overnight. It took years, but he has proven that I can trust him.

So, for his 13th birthday, he was gifted a cell phone.

It comes with hefty rules. The parental control is high. He must turn it into me nightly by 8:30 p.m. There is no internet access or apps. It simply has calling and texting for his closest friends and our family. The phone and contract are gone with one break of the rules.

One.

One is all it will take—there are no second or third chances.

His friends couldn't be more excited as their smiles speak in this photo.

This is an opportunity for him to prove himself and grow in self-discipline.

Happy birthday and texting to the boy who made me a mama! ❤️