Hey all, I need some help. My 13 year old has been acting a bit off lately and I’m getting worried. I’ve noticed he’s spending more time online, mostly on his phone or computer, and he’s been kind of secretive about it. Yesterday, I saw some notifications that looked like gambling or online betting. I didn’t press him right then, but it’s been eating at me. I know he’s at that age where he’s curious and pushing boundaries but I’m not sure how to handle this without pushing him away. Any advice on how to approach this or talk to him about it?
Totally get how worried you must be, Daniel. My son went through a phase like this and it was tough. One thing that helped was creating some structure around his screen time, but also finding a way to connect without it feeling like I was interrogating him.
You’re a great dad for noticing and caring enough to look for advice. He’s lucky to have you!
You’re doing the right thing by reaching out here! Teens will surprise you they often know more about risks than we think, and they’re testing waters in ways that make us panic. Sometimes, just being honest about your concerns without coming across as accusing can get them to open up. A calm approach might help him share what’s going on, even if it’s hard. You’re a great parent for being proactive. Keep us posted!
Been there, man. When my oldest got into similar stuff, I was blindsided. I found that sitting down with him and talking about why these things are risky helped a lot. Teens often don’t grasp consequences well. We looked at some real stories together about kids who’d struggled with gambling it made the conversation more real
We went through something similar. Our son wasn’t into gambling but he got way too into social media, and we had to put some boundaries in place. He hated it at first but it honestly brought us closer as he saw I was trying to understand his world. It’s not easy to have these talks, especially with teens! Maybe start by just asking him about his day or friends, ease into the bigger conversation when the time feels right.