When her son was 12 years old, Minnesota mom Lorna Klefsaas made him a deal: stay off social media until he was 18 and she’d give him $1,800. Up for the challenge, Sivert said yes. Or in his own words, “Oh sick, yeah, absolutely!” he tells station KARE 11.
Now, six years later, the 18-year-old just cashed in on his mom’s “18 for 18” deal and both are reflecting back on the time spent without the likes of Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok. “He thinks all the attention is funny as he had no idea anyone would care or think it was impressive,” Klefsaas tells Tinybeans. “But he is having a lot of fun with it and enjoying the whirlwind!”
He told CNN, “I wouldn’t say there was ever a time where I thought I was about to break. As it went on, it was more of a pride thing.”
Of course, at the age of 12, Sivert didn’t have a huge interest in social media so the decision was easy. As the years went on, there were temptations but he says his friends helped him stay on top of trends without logging on himself. “For the amount of drama I avoided, it was totally worth it” he share on Good Morning America.
So where did the idea come from? Klefsaas has personal experience with the negative effects of social media, watching her older daughter struggle with getting “concerned and really hurt feelings.” At that time, she decided to get her off social media all together. Less than three weeks later, her daughter thanked her.
“It was definitely inspired by the idea of, ‘what can I do to help him hold off as long as possible,” Klefsaas tells GMA.
Now that Sivert is $1,800 richer, what now? The 18-year-old is dipping his toes into the social media world. He tells KARE 11, he can’t “seem to figure out social media. It’s hilarious. I feel like I’m like 80. It’s pretty embarrassing.”
Embarrassing or not, this young man is ready to enter the world of adulthood a little lighter than the rest of us. Well done, mama.
––Karly Wood
RELATED STORIES
TIME’s Kid of the Year Is an 11-Year-Old ‘Ambassador for Kindness’
Bindi Irwin Honors Her Late Dad on His 60th Birthday
Michael Bublé Reveals He & His Wife Are Expecting Fourth Child in New Music Video
