Many kids think being an adult is easy—until they see the work behind the comforts they enjoy. Heidi Johnson wanted to teach her 13-year-old son, Aaron, a crucial life lesson after he started acting disrespectfully and bragging about being “a free person” just because he made a little money from his YouTube channel.
Aaron refused to do his homework and ignored his mother’s rules. In response, Heidi wrote a “roommate-style” letter and taped it to his bedroom door. The note explained that if he wanted to live like an adult, he would need to pay rent, cover electricity and internet, buy back items she had purchased for him, cook his own meals, and clean up after himself.
At first, Aaron crumpled the note and stormed out. Meanwhile, Heidi removed privileges and items from his room to reinforce the lesson. Eventually, Aaron returned, apologized, and asked how he could earn back his privileges. Heidi explained that the goal wasn’t to charge him but to teach him the value of money, effort, and responsibility.
Her Facebook post, first shared in 2015, went viral again recently. Many praised her creative approach to parenting, saying it teaches real-world values without cruelty. Some critics accused her of public shaming, but Heidi stressed that she was preparing her son for adulthood, helping him understand that nothing in life comes free.
