When it comes to parenting, you're not going to get it right every time - but as long as you do your best by your child, everything should be OK. But one mum has been left questioning whether she made the right decision after taking her son's bedroom door away during a heat-of-the-moment argument.
The woman explained how she heard a loud bang coming from her 16-year-old son's bedroom and was worried he'd hurt himself. Taking to Reddit, she said: "I heard a really loud sound, as if the ceiling was falling or a bookshelf had fallen. My husband and daughter were out - the only other person in the house was my son.
"I was pretty sure he was in his room, which is at the opposite side of the house from the kitchen, so while making my way there I checked every room and everything seemed in order.
"I knocked on my son's door and called his name, no answer. I must have knocked and called three times before trying to open the door which was locked.
"At this point I was getting really freaked out, thinking that maybe he tipped his wardrobe or bookshelf and it had fallen over him and he was passed out on the floor.
"I was basically screaming his name, no answer."
Worried for her son's safety, the woman barged the door down by slamming her body into it until it came off its hinges.
She was revealed to see her son was perfectly OK - but he wasn't best pleased about his broken bedroom door.
"He was freaked out about the door but fine," she added. "The sound was his TV with the volume at the max, apparently.
"He didn't answer me calling because he didn’t want me bothering his movie.
"His words were, 'You were screaming like a harpy and it was annoying, I was trying to watch the movie. Fix the door'."
Annoyed by the worry he put her through, she told him he'd have to pay for a new door himself if he wanted it 'fixed'.
She said: "I said no - I wasn't going to fix it since to 'fix it' I would have to buy a new door and doors are expensive.
"As soon as his dad got home he would remove the door entirely as it was too broken to just stay there.
"He got really mad. Said it's his 'right' to have a door, he deserves his privacy.
"I said he had a door and while I was the one that broke it and it was a consequence of his actions, so if he wanted a door he would have to buy it. I know he doesn’t have the money for it right now.
"Until then, no door. He can change in the bathroom. He said f*** you, I said he was grounded."
But now she has calmed down about the situation, she is wondering whether she was too harsh on her son - and has taken to Reddit to ask for user's thoughts.
One user said: "You should be wrong for not getting him a new door. He needs privacy, he doesn't need a TV.
"Think of different and better ways to discipline that don't remove his privacy and space.
"Kids typically don't need a TV if he didn't answer because of the TV take that away not his door."
Another user added: "Sell the TV to pay for the new door - win-win"
A third user said: "Privacy is important for teenagers. Give him a new door, without a lock.
"Take away the TV (for a period, at least). Maybe have him pay for part of the door by working it off (a reasonable amount, not the full price of a new door), and he gets his TV back when he's worked it off."
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