{"id":131671,"date":"2025-11-10T06:07:13","date_gmt":"2025-11-10T06:07:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/131671\/"},"modified":"2025-11-10T06:07:13","modified_gmt":"2025-11-10T06:07:13","slug":"mom-wants-son-to-break-from-anxious-generation-so-she-tests-him","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/131671\/","title":{"rendered":"Mom Wants Son to Break From \u2018Anxious Generation\u2019\u2014So She Tests Him"},"content":{"rendered":"

A mom\u2019s tactic to help her 5-year-old son gain more confidence is going viral on the internet.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Tia Ball (@tiawiththefam) documented the moment she gave her son, \u201cBear,\u201d\u00a0$10 to order and pay for his own ice cream in\u00a0Dahlonega, Georgia, in\u00a0a clip<\/a>\u00a0on TikTok.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Inside, he successfully orders a scoop of strawberry ice cream topped with gummy bears using the money he made from selling one of his old toys.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The idea,\u00a0Ball,\u00a0explained, is to give her son independent tasks to break away from what she called the \u201canxious generation.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are a ton of studies and varying opinions out there, but from where I\u2019m standing, there’s a noticeable difference between the kids who are growing up in a heavily digital world and the kids who grew up before tech fully took over,\u201d the 29-year-old told Newsweek.\u00a0<\/p>\n

She and her husband Miles, 32, are part of a\u00a0growing group of parents concerned that convenience and connectivity have come at a cost.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Their perspective is also shaped by their faith. \u201cOur faith is central to our\u00a0lives,\u00a0and the Bible is our true north in how we parent,\u201d Ball explained. \u201cEven though\u00a0we\u2019re\u00a0raising our son in a world where\u00a0almost anything\u00a0can be done with the tap of a screen,\u00a0we’re\u00a0trying to be\u00a0more intentional than ever to help him develop skills<\/a>\u00a0that were once second-nature to other generations.”<\/p>\n

Ball pointed\u00a0out that while modern tools like grocery pickup, food\u00a0delivery\u00a0and streaming services\u00a0make life easier for busy parents<\/a>, they also limit face-to-face interactions.\u00a0\u201cI\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0think technology is inherently negative, but too much of anything takes its toll,\u201d she added.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The ice cream run\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0the first step in this experiment.\u00a0The family started with simple things, such as asking the librarian for help finding a book.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Both Ball and Miles went to college in Dahlonega, so having their son order ice cream at Connie\u2019s felt like a \u201csafe place to level up.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Next, the parents plan to\u00a0take Bear to Chick-fil-A and have him stand in line to order independently.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Ball explained that her son is learning a wide range of skills by completing these tasks such as manners, problem solving, money\u00a0management\u00a0and decision making.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s getting more confident in asking for help when he needs it and\u00a0becoming\u00a0a functioning member of society,\u201d she said. \u201cMost importantly,\u00a0he\u2019s\u00a0learning how to connect with people in person.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Ball’s clip has been viewed 3.1 million times on TikTok\u00a0and divided users\u00a0in\u00a0the comments.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Some shared that they were also encouraged to carry out independent tasks as young children; one user called it a \u201cconfidence booster\u201d and others praised the parents for their efforts.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Another user agreed with Ball’s intentions and shared that they found the\u00a0number\u00a0of young adults with social anxiety \u201calarming.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

On the other hand, some users said the tasks had an adverse effect\u00a0for\u00a0them during childhood, claiming it was the source of their anxiety.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThis would have\u00a0be\u00a0crying. I was such a shy kid,\u201d one user commented.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Ball acknowledged the open discussion on her post. \u201cLike with anything you post on social media, people are going to have differing opinions, but\u00a0I\u2019m\u00a0glad\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0been helpful,\u201d she said. \u201cI hope I can continue to grow my\u00a0community\u00a0of parents.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n