Parenthood
Mom teaches messy teen a lesson that leaves the internet very divided
Some parents praised her, but others went so far as to call the authorities.
Jenny Brown
01.08.24

In the heart of Bargersville, Indiana, Alice Velasquez, a mother of three, found herself at her wit’s end with her teenage daughter, Tahlia.

Like many parents of teens, Alice was grappling with the age-old battle of keeping a teenager’s room clean.

Facebook (via Little Things)
Source:
Facebook (via Little Things)

Tahlia’s room was a constant source of frustration, cluttered with clothes, food wrappers, and electronics, seemingly immune to Alice’s pleas for tidiness.

Alice, like any parent, had tried the usual tactics: gentle reminders, stern warnings, and the occasional plea for order.

But nothing seemed to work. Tahlia’s room remained a chaotic mess, a testament to teenage disarray.

YouTube - Did You Know?
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YouTube - Did You Know?

It was a situation many parents could sympathize with, the endless cycle of asking, reminding, and ultimately, resigning to the chaos.

But then, Alice had an epiphany. If words wouldn’t work, maybe action would.

YouTube - Did You Know?
Source:
YouTube - Did You Know?

She embarked on a mission, not with anger, but with a creative resolve to teach her daughter a valuable lesson.

Alice began by collecting every item out of place in Tahlia’s room – clothes, gadgets, books, everything – and stuffed them into garbage bags.

It was a bold move, a mother’s unconventional response to an all-too-common problem.

When Tahlia came home that day, she was met with an unusual sight: her belongings were nowhere to be seen, replaced instead by a pile of trash bags.

On her bedroom door, a note from Alice explained the situation.

Tahlia could get her things back, but it would cost her $25 per bag.

It was a simple yet ingenious plan, forcing Tahlia to weigh the value of her possessions against the effort of maintaining them.

YouTube - Did You Know?
Source:
YouTube - Did You Know?

Alice’s method was more than just a lesson in cleanliness; it was a lesson in responsibility and consequences.

Each bag was a mystery; Tahlia had no idea which bag held her favorite clothes or essential electronics.

It was a direct reflection of the disorder she had allowed to reign in her room.

The randomness of the bag’s contents mirrored the chaos of her unkept space.

YouTube - Did You Know?
Source:
YouTube - Did You Know?

Alice, thinking her friends would find humor and perhaps some solidarity in her approach, shared photos of the bagged-up room on Facebook.

She expected a few laughs and sympathetic comments.

What she didn’t expect was the overwhelming response from people all over the world.

Her story went viral, resonating with parents and non-parents alike, and sparking discussions about parenting techniques and the challenges of raising teenagers in today’s world.

The story of Alice and Tahlia is more than just a tale of a messy room.

It’s a narrative about the trials and tribulations of parenting, the creative lengths to which a parent will go to teach their child, and the universal struggle of raising a teenager.

It’s a reminder that sometimes, unconventional methods can be the most effective in imparting life lessons.

In the end, Alice’s unique approach to dealing with her daughter’s messy habits offers a humorous yet insightful glimpse into the world of parenting teenagers.

Pexels - cottonbro studio
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Pexels - cottonbro studio

It’s a story that many can relate to, whether they’re in the midst of raising teens or recalling their own adolescent years.

Alice’s story is a testament to the creativity, patience, and sometimes, the sheer ingenuity that parenting requires.

Learn more about this story in the video below!

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