Mom Promised 12-Year-Old Son $1800 If He Stayed Off Social Media Until His 18th Birthday, And It Worked

For most 12-year-olds, $1800 sounds like a fortune. Or at least like an amount of money they’d like to have, sooner rather than later. But some kiddos are stubborn and can play the long game. And that’s just what Sivert Klefsaas’ mom was counting on.

Lorna Goldstrand Klefsaas, Sivert’s mom made a bet with him. The bet was if he abstained from social media from the age of 12 to his 18th birthday, she’d reward him with $1800. And on February 19, 2022, Sivert’s 18th birthday, he was able to claim his prize.

Of course, Sivert was only 12 when his mother proposed the bet. Before the bet, he reportedly had only downloaded Snapchat for a day. So obviously he hadn’t really made his way into the world of social media. Which probably helped the mom’s cause.

But other kids (including Sivert’s older siblings) were active on social media when he took the bet. His mom, however, had noticed some negative effects with his older siblings, so she took the opportunity to try a different approach with her son. And she was probably wise to get in front of the possible negative outcomes.

Social Media And Kids

Irritability, increased anxiety, and lack of self-esteem are just a few of the possible consequences of kids having access to social media, according to The Cleveland Clinic. Dangers can also include cyberbullying, predators, and risky viral trends, among others. And Klefsaas had noticed the darker side of social media with her daughters. “It was affecting their mood, their friendships and was kind of a depressant,” she said in an interview with CNN.

But on the flip side, there can be some benefits to kids having access to some social media sites. Some research has shown positive effects of some exposure to social media. An NPR article noted that research showed texting and scrolling certain social media sites, namely Instagram was “associated with some positive effects, including increased physical activity, less family conflict, and fewer sleep problems.” However, there were obviously caveats. When kids spent too much time in front of screens (i.e. playing video games and using social media) the opposite was true. They reported more trouble sleeping and more family problems.

Could You Do It?

Sivert luckily missed out on lots of the negative effects of social media. And, although there’s probably not anyone to pay you $1800, it could be time to take a social media break yourself.

If you feel anxious, like you’re addicted to your smartphone, or constantly scrolling social media sites, it could be beneficial to do a social media detox. Consciously deciding to take a break from social media could boost your mood. I mean if a 12-year-old can do it, I can. Right?

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