A mom who was fed up with her kids’ cellphone use shot the hell out of their devices while they watched — and it was all caught on tape. Social media was listed as the root cause of their misbehavior, and the video is making the rounds (ironically, on social media).
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The unnamed mother made a few impressive speeches about how her teens were getting in trouble at school and talking to people they don’t know. “I hereby denounce the effects that social media have on my children,” she proclaims. Then she shot and sledgehammered their phones. Her kids stood by as the whole spectacle was caught on video, and later, the video started making the rounds as frustrated parents gave her a virtual high-five for taking back control of her kids’ lives.
Although her anger at her kids is completely understandable, there are probably other ways to handle the situation that don’t involve destroying expensive property and shaming her kids on social media.
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Create an actionable plan
Instead of taking your child’s phone and smashing it, make an actionable plan where he can work to get his phone privileges back. Create a list of must-dos (regular chores, big cleaning projects, etc.) that he can complete and work up to in order to get his phone back. Once he’s earned it back, monitor his cellphone usage closely, and repeat if necessary.
Institute hard and fast rules
Another option that keeps the cellphones in the home but out of a kid’s hands for most of the day is a serious set of rules. For example, kids can only use their phones at home for a few hours after school. Kids cannot take their phones to school. Phones need to be in a certain place at a certain time. If these rules aren’t followed, privileges will be lost.
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Restrict access
If you’re worried about what your kid accesses on the phone, you can set up parental controls that allow or disallow certain apps, prohibits Internet browsing, and so on. It’s pretty easy to set up on iPhones, and for Android phones, there are a ton of parental control apps available in the Google Play Store.
Donate the phones
If you’re completely determined to rid your home of cellphones, instead of shooting them to pieces, donate them. Now not only do the kids not have the cellphones, but it’s also a way to pay it forward and do good within your community. Cellphones can be donated to local domestic violence shelters, soldiers or another favorite charity. Your kids will learn that their behavior has consequences, but at the same time, your family can also work together to help those in need.
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