I snoop my 13 year-old kid’s phone sometimes. Not in a “paranoid spy parent” way, just random check-ins to make sure he’s not out here secretly running a cartel. Usually it’s all fine ~ memes, group chats, whatever. But this time? A girl called.
👀
Turns out they’ve got a little crush thing going. Texting, calling, the whole deal.
Past me would’ve lost my fucking shit ~ phone gone, sports gone, lockdown mode. But I remember how that worked when I was a teenager: spoiler, it didn’t. Just made me sneakier. So this time, I tried something new.
I answered. Introduced myself. Let her know he was asleep. She hit me with, “He’s not like the other boys and you’re doing a great job raising him.” Listen… I melted. Like, ugly-smile melted, because in a world full of trash men, hearing a girl say my son already stands out? That’s it. That’s the legacy.
The next morning we talked. I told him I’m cool with the calls and texts (they’re cute, honestly), but we set some ground rules ~ no calls after 9, and always keep kindness first. Then I told him how proud I am of him, because respect matters more than anything.
I could’ve slammed the door shut on this whole thing. Instead, I opened it. He knows he’s got a safe place to talk, no shame, no judgment.
Hey, I was a teenager once but I snuck out and met up with boys because it was forbidden. 😬
The more you restrict the more they will rebel. It’s a fact.
Anyways, he’s not my property. He’s a whole human, growing up fast. My job isn’t to control him ~ it’s to raise him into someone who treats people right.
So far, so good. ✨
Here’s to healthy teen years!
Top notch parenting 👌
That should have been "more".