Bored Panda works better on our iPhone app
Continue in app Continue in browser

The Bored Panda iOS app is live! Fight boredom with iPhones and iPads here.

Mother Challenged Her Son To Not Use Social Media Until He Turned 18 to get $1,800 Dollars
Mother Challenged Her Son To Not Use Social Media Until He Turned 18 to get $1,800 Dollars
User submission

Mother Challenged Her Son To Not Use Social Media Until He Turned 18 to get $1,800 Dollars

48

ADVERTISEMENT

Social media has its obvious benefits and drawbacks for everyone. But it hits different in teenage years. Teens get very social and naturally spend more time on their phones. However, it may become a serious addiction or exacerbate some serious mental problems. And so, parents try to think of some ways to help their teenage kids get through this tricky period without making the problems worse through social media.

Now, straight up forbidding someone to do something won’t really work. Lorna Goldstrand Klefsaas found a more acceptable upbringing approach. Knowing that her 12-year-old son was very competitive, she gave him a challenge: if he didn’t use social media until he turned 18, he’d get 18 hundred dollars in return. Sivert accepted the challenge. Here’s how it went.

More info: Facebook

RELATED:

    When Sivert Klefsaas turned 12, his mother gave him a challenge to stay off of social media for 6 years

    Image credits: lornatravels

    In return, if he’s successful, he’d get $1,800 dollars for his 18th birthday

    Image credits: lornatravels

    ADVERTISEMENT

    Surprisingly, the 4 years went by without any major temptations or dark moments. Sivert just wasn’t used to social media before the challenge, so he didn’t think he was missing out on much. “I wouldn’t say there was ever a time where I thought I was about to break. As it went on, it was more of a pride thing.”

    As with all teenagers, the years flew by, and Sivert came of age

    And drumroll…

    Image credits: lornatravels

    He successfully completed the challenge and received 18 hundred dollars

    Image credits: lornatravels

    ADVERTISEMENT
    ADVERTISEMENT

    Funnily enough, Sivert hasn’t put much thought into what he’s going to buy

    Image credits: lornatravels

    He’s probably going to buy something for his dorm room for a university that he’s going to attend in fall

    Image credits: lornatravels

    Lorna, Sivert’s mom isn’t against her son using social media, or anyone else for that matter. “We are certainly not against social media, but it’s the healthy using of it,” Lorna noted. “It’s about not letting yourself get weighed down by it, or addicted to it, or affected by things that people post.”

    ADVERTISEMENT

    The challenge had some great side benefits: the kid focused on sports and studying instead of lurking on the socials

    Image credits: lornatravels

    Sivert mentioned that his first social media app that he looks forward to using is Instagram

    Image credits: lornatravels

    ADVERTISEMENT

    It’s looking like Sivert’s set up for a bright future

    Image credits: lornatravels

    ADVERTISEMENT

    4Kviews

    Share on Facebook
    Hidrėlėy

    Hidrėlėy

    Author, Approved Contributor

    Read more »

    Fascinated by music, movies and sitcoms, I'm passionate about social media and can't live without the internet, especially for all the cute dog and cat pictures out there. I wish the day had about 40 hours to be able to do everything I want.

    Read less »
    Hidrėlėy

    Hidrėlėy

    Author, Approved Contributor

    Fascinated by music, movies and sitcoms, I'm passionate about social media and can't live without the internet, especially for all the cute dog and cat pictures out there. I wish the day had about 40 hours to be able to do everything I want.

    Titas Burinskas

    Titas Burinskas

    Moderator, Community member

    Read more »

    This dude right here? He works as a Community Manager at Bored Panda. Has no back-story, cause his spine works just fine. He writes about himself in third-person, and in first-person about others. Fell in love with storytelling and cannot let that love go. Now, he's here to help you make your own story simply beautiful. Secretly makes cute music samples and writes stories in the dark that nobody has ever heard of before.

    Read less »

    Titas Burinskas

    Titas Burinskas

    Moderator, Community member

    This dude right here? He works as a Community Manager at Bored Panda. Has no back-story, cause his spine works just fine. He writes about himself in third-person, and in first-person about others. Fell in love with storytelling and cannot let that love go. Now, he's here to help you make your own story simply beautiful. Secretly makes cute music samples and writes stories in the dark that nobody has ever heard of before.

    What do you think ?
    Angel Williams
    Community Member
    3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The kid doesnt have his *own* social media - but his Mom plasters his face all over hers, even as far back as "327 weeks" ago - thats 6.2 years!

    Eric Mac Fadden
    Community Member
    3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    My son doesn't shows interest on social networks, he just turned 17. He thinks it's dumb.

    Om
    Community Member
    3 years ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    that was me back in the day, before social media exploded, until I was forced to join Facebook because otherwise I was missing announcements some teachers were doing through some of our classmates, who would only post it on a Facebook group instead of making sure everyone knew before leaving school. Same with any time I went out with friends and we would take pictures, god forbid they sent me the pics through email, I had to be on Facebook or I wouldn't get to see anything. Now I'm the only one left on Facebook, while the rest keep jumping from social media to social media every few years.

    Load More Replies...
    kori
    Community Member
    3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I've heard of this from my parents - so I was eventually set up for that challenge too. However, I don't think I'll be as successful as him...

    Ember Hermin
    Community Member
    3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Congrats, now he's unemployable because not using social media is "suspicious" to interviewers who want complete control over you

    Dr. Harleen Quinzel
    Community Member
    3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    My own social accounts are basically anti-social media LOL I don't talk to anybody, I just play games and share memes, animal photos and dad jokes.

    Tom Hanlin
    Community Member
    3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I kind've feel that $1,800 isn't nearly enough money to give a kid in exchange for locking out his social network, and if all you got out of it was a basketball jock, perhaps it wasn't a good value for you, either.

    Lsai Aeon
    Community Member
    3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    No challenge needed. I asked my son the other day if he wanted to make a FB account or any other social media account. He said "Nope that sh*t is toxic AF and I don't need that" He's 14

    Got Myself 4 Dwarves
    Community Member
    3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Mum has an awesome name. I don't often come across people with the same name as me

    Angel Williams
    Community Member
    3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The kid doesnt have his *own* social media - but his Mom plasters his face all over hers, even as far back as "327 weeks" ago - thats 6.2 years!

    Eric Mac Fadden
    Community Member
    3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    My son doesn't shows interest on social networks, he just turned 17. He thinks it's dumb.

    Om
    Community Member
    3 years ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    that was me back in the day, before social media exploded, until I was forced to join Facebook because otherwise I was missing announcements some teachers were doing through some of our classmates, who would only post it on a Facebook group instead of making sure everyone knew before leaving school. Same with any time I went out with friends and we would take pictures, god forbid they sent me the pics through email, I had to be on Facebook or I wouldn't get to see anything. Now I'm the only one left on Facebook, while the rest keep jumping from social media to social media every few years.

    Load More Replies...
    kori
    Community Member
    3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I've heard of this from my parents - so I was eventually set up for that challenge too. However, I don't think I'll be as successful as him...

    Ember Hermin
    Community Member
    3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Congrats, now he's unemployable because not using social media is "suspicious" to interviewers who want complete control over you

    Dr. Harleen Quinzel
    Community Member
    3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    My own social accounts are basically anti-social media LOL I don't talk to anybody, I just play games and share memes, animal photos and dad jokes.

    Tom Hanlin
    Community Member
    3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I kind've feel that $1,800 isn't nearly enough money to give a kid in exchange for locking out his social network, and if all you got out of it was a basketball jock, perhaps it wasn't a good value for you, either.

    Lsai Aeon
    Community Member
    3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    No challenge needed. I asked my son the other day if he wanted to make a FB account or any other social media account. He said "Nope that sh*t is toxic AF and I don't need that" He's 14

    Got Myself 4 Dwarves
    Community Member
    3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Mum has an awesome name. I don't often come across people with the same name as me

    You May Like
    Related on Bored Panda
    Popular on Bored Panda
    Trending on Bored Panda
    Also on Bored Panda
    ADVERTISEMENT