Culture Dad's trick to help son improve grades divides TikTok: 'I was disappointed not seeing something supportive'

Dad's trick to help son improve grades divides TikTok: 'I was disappointed not seeing something supportive'

Unhappy with his son's report card, a father came up with a controversial way to improve his child's grades in a now-viral TikTok.

www.yahoo.com

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A father who was fed up with his son’s academic performance came up with an idea to improve his grades, in a TikTok that has since sparked a debate.

On Feb. 14, user @letzgofishing shared his plan on the social media platform, recording himself building a box out of wood.

“My son showed me his report card,” the user wrote in a text overlay. “His math grade is starting to decline. He wants to be a [‘YouTuber’], so he spends a good amount of time playing video games.”

As the father attaches a couple of metal latches to the box, his strategy to improve his son’s grades slowly comes into the picture.

“I decided to help motivate him get his grades up,” he wrote, showing the final result: a box with his son’s video games locked inside. A whiteboard sits atop the box with a number of equations that, when solved, unlock the combination to the makeshift safe.

The father’s plan has since received over 4.4 million views and divided TikTok users, some of whom criticized him for not coming up with a more encouraging way to help his son.

“Ahh yes my kids grade is slipping so instead of asking him if he’s been stressed lately and helping him, I lock away the things he loves,” one person commented sarcastically.

“I was disappointed not seeing something supportive,” a second simply posted in response.

Others, however, defended the father for coming up with what they presumably thought was a creative idea.

“People are soft now,” one person wrote. “I think this is great. Electronics are privileges. If you’re not meeting expectations, you have consequences.”

“Good job!!” another added. “You did what needed to be done!!”

It’s unclear whether the father’s son has gotten his math grade up since, but one thing’s for sure: he probably won’t be playing video games anytime soon until he does.

 

[kcbbq]

Inb4 this kid installs a lock on the door to his room and puts up a set of even more complicated math equations so his dad can't get at his vidya.

The kid doesn't sound very intelligent, so that'll happen.

 

[John Titor]

Could have bern worse, he could have destroyed his collection or wiped all his progress.

 

[Screw Danlon]

This reminds me of that incident where they would lock an octopus's food in a series of boxes and essentially force it to pick the locks if it wanted to eat. This situation ended in the octopus ramming its entire body through a small hole in the corner of the box and refusing to come out until the aquarium staff picked the lock themselves and opened it up.

Inb4 this kid installs a lock on the door to his room and puts up a set of even more complicated math equations so his dad can't get at his vidya.

At which point, if that was my father, he would
A) knock the door off its hinges with a sledgehammer
B) take all the kids toys and lock it in the garage
C) make the kid pay for the door repair out of his allowance before he’d get his stuff back
and then
D) unlock the lock and leave it and the whiteboard on the kid’s desk, just to show that that’s not why he broke the door

 

[L50LasPak]

At which point, if that was my father, he would
A) knock the door off its hinges with a sledgehammer
B) take all the kids toys and lock it in the garage
C) make the kid pay for the door repair out of his allowance before he’d get his stuff back
and then
D) unlock the lock and leave it and the whiteboard on the kid’s desk, just to show that that’s not why he broke the door

I don't think either of them would be in this situation if the Dad was a responsible parent in the first place.

 

[AltisticRight]

Maybe putting stuff on Tik Tok is why your kid's grades are shit.

 

[LaxerBRO]

All TikTok users should be put into concentration camps and eradicated.

 

[Cabelaz]

Flashback to sophomore year of high school when my dad came in with a hammer and destroyed my Xbox because of my 68 in math

 

[GinnyPotter]

I really miss the days where kids aspired to actual cool things instead of being a fucking youtuber. Like it's the only job in the world.

You can easily do YouTube as a hobby and still go to school and aquire a skill where you can get a stable job.

Not only that but do parents just not teach kids that just because you know someone who does it doesn't mean you have to? It's part of the bullshit that is OF. They use those percentages that people post to make it seem like people make way more money than they really do.

"Well if Shane or Trisha can do it, so can I."
Well youtube was super different when they started. It's just wrong to not sit down and explain to your child the pros and cons of having your life and job revolve around an unstable 'career' on social media.

I would much rather know that I can pay my rent and bills every month than having a fuckton of followers on Twitter or tictok.

Edit;
Also really sick of parents feeling the need to publicly do shit like this on social media. It's not the internets job to parent your child.

 

[Unpaid Emotional Labourer]

If this is cruel then those puzzle toys you put dog treats in are animal abuse. Lol.

 

[Vyse Inglebard]

Whatever happened to just taking away the distraction (whether it's the internet, video games, whatever) until said grades improved? And furthermore, whatever happened to "what happens in this house, stays in this house"? Why'd this faggot feel the need to air this shit on TikTok? "LOOK AT HOW GOOD OF A DAD I AM, I MAKE MY SON DO MATH BEFORE I LET HIM PLAY HIS VIDYA!" God, I miss the pre-social media era more and more every day.

 

[Piga Dgrifm]

When I was reading about the box I was thinking he was gonna lock his kid in there and that's why people were upset, but nah, taking away a vidya game is abuse.

 

[Android raptor]

Lmao that kid is gonna cut off contact with his shitty dad the minute he turns 18.

Love it when parents who are going to die alone tell on themselves.

At which point, if that was my father, he would
A) knock the door off its hinges with a sledgehammer
B) take all the kids toys and lock it in the garage
C) make the kid pay for the door repair out of his allowance before he’d get his stuff back
and then
D) unlock the lock and leave it and the whiteboard on the kid’s desk, just to show that that’s not why he broke the door

And if I was the kid I'd be telling him to go fuck himself and destroying whatever it is he likes.

 

[Bad Gateway]

Video games locked inside you say

In 2021 you say

I'm very sure that this is in any way real

 

[TowinKarz]

God, I miss the pre-social media era more and more every day.

While it's not fair, the current one-sideness of the internet, where having wrong opinions gets you tossed off it, may have a silver lining.

I kinda wonder if we aren't better off going back to the real world for our entertainment? Or at least getting some fresh air as taking a walk outside is starting to look more relaxing and a better option than hanging around online where in a majority of places, everyone's waiting for you to slip up so they can mob you and ban you.

Did we really want to hang out in what the internet's become these days? At least the social media part?

Most of us lived without it before, I'm certain we can do it again.

 

[6MillionCoofs]

My dad used to restrict access to fun...

It was surprisingly effective.

 

[Niggernerd]

Beat your son. He might have the gay in him so better to double tap

 

[Piga Dgrifm]

If I ever got anything below a B my Dad would make me watch Chariots of Fire while tied to an empty bedframe.

 

[Inventor of the Telephone]

He wants to be a [‘YouTuber’], so he spends a good amount of time playing video games.”

Father has already failed.

 

[verygayFrogs]

If this is cruel then those puzzle toys you put dog treats in are animal abuse. Lol.

If that’s the case then I’m no better than micheal vick

nah, he’s still a piece of shit. The dog at least is a good boy/girl in the end

 

[Buer]

Why does every zoomer want to be a youtuber? Even Nick Rekeita's kids want to be one some day. This kid(and a lot of other zoomers) is going to be so disappointed when they find out how hard it is to gain followers and that's if youtube even is viable as a career in the future. Who knows youtube might tighten it's leash even further on youtubers in the future to the point where making money on the platform is nearly impossible for anyone that doesn't already have a million subs. Also maybe the kid isn't stressed but just a dumbass who didn't study properly? Why does everyone always assume it's stress? Also I saw the video he gave the kid a combination of the lock using math equations. Doesn't exactly sound abusive to me. I guess kids really have gotten soft.