This guy has a 17-year-old son who has gotten really into streaming online. The teen started off doing it as a side gig, and now, his son is actually making around $300 per month from it – which he realizes isn’t bad for a young man his age.
The only problem is that he’s worried his son is spending too much time online as opposed to schoolwork.
He claims that his son is a pretty good kid and never gets into trouble or anything like that. Still, he can’t help but feel concerned about him streaming so often.
“And I’m not seeing enough focus on his studies. I mean, my son’s at that crucial point where grades and college applications matter, you know?” he said.
His wife, on the other hand, believes he’s overreacting. She thinks he is just being too strict and that their son’s side gig is a good thing, especially because he’s begun earning his own money.
Their differing perspectives on the issue have caused some tension in their relationship, too.
“I get it; she’s proud of him for finding something he likes and actually making cash off it. But I think there needs to be some balance,” he reasoned.
That’s why he tried talking to his son about setting some screen time limits during weekdays in order to help him concentrate on schoolwork as well.
Yet, whenever he attempts to bring this up, it just sparks a big fight. His son also argued that he was perfectly capable of handling both streaming and school.
Anyway, even though he’s not convinced of that, he’s getting treated like the bad guy for trying to limit his son’s internet access. Both his wife’s and son’s reactions have caused him to second-guess himself as well.
He’s not trying to be controlling. His only goal is to make sure his son’s priorities are straight so streaming doesn’t get in the way of his future.
“Now, with his mom on his side, I’m stuck in the middle. I want my son to succeed in whatever he chooses, but I also want him to understand the importance of his education,” he vented.
Despite that, he’s been left wondering if wanting to restrict his son’s screen time is understandable or if it makes him overbearing.
Is it normal for parents to be stressed about how often their kids are online? At what age should adolescents be responsible for regulating their own internet usage?
You can read the original post on Reddit here.
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By Katharina Buczek
Katharina Buczek graduated from Stony Brook University with a degree in Journalism and a minor in Digital Arts. Specializing in... More about Katharina Buczek
