Teen son spends his mom's dream concert complaining and begging to go home, so she bans him from seeing his favorite artist: ‘Natural consequences’

Author image for Cata Holmes
Cata Holmes • Writer
Jun 28, 2026 1:45 PM EDT

Is taking away a privilege the best way to teach respect?

Mom stories are my faveees, and you'll see why. Below you'll find a caring mom who wanted to have a special moment with her teen son, who's been very angry and fussy, like any other teenager. She bought tickets to see her favourite band together, and she was so excited about it. He seemed excited too, although just a few minutes after they arrived at the show, we got mad and wouldn't stop complaining. They ended up leaving early, and she was very sad about it, until….

She remembered her husband had bought tickets for her son to go see his favourite artist. Since the show is close to his birthday, this was going to be the birthday present, and the teen was thrilled. When they got to the car after leaving the show, she said to forget about the upcoming concert, since it was no longer an option for him. Needless to say, he was pretty mad.

I'll start by saying that I'm not a mom, but I am an older sister who helped my mother raise my two siblings. And I'd totally stand with her if she ever had to decide on this one. If I wanted to have a nice time with my son, and he agreed to come with me to see my favourite band, I'd at least expect him to be with me there. Of course, I could understand if he liked other types of music, but in this case, he knew she liked the bad, so he had to put up with it.

I think the mom did wrong in leaving early. Although I imagine that being at the concert of your favourite band with your angry son is not the best scenario, I'd find a way to make it fun for me and stay. The band doesn't play that often, and having to leave before it finished because of your whining teenager… let me say it's just super annoying to read. Let me know in the comments what your opinion is and what you would have done. 

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  • Woman looking ahead with a calm, with a thoughtful expression.
    via Unsplash+ (via Curated Lifestyle)

    Woman looking ahead with a calm, with a thoughtful expression.

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  • I have a 10 year old son who was super kind as a younger kid, but has over the past few months has suddenly entered the snappy and disrespectful tween stage.
    via Pharmacienne123
  • There is a band I have really liked for decades and my son enjoys some of their songs as well: they come to my area every couple of years.
    via Pharmacienne123
  • I asked him if he would like to accompany me this year and he said yes. Yayyy!! So I thought.
    via Pharmacienne123
  • I brought him to the concert last night and as soon as we got there, his mood soured. I tried everything I could to get him into a good mood, but nothing stuck. He just seemed determined to have a bad time. He was glaring, grabbing at my phone to check the time, complaining about everything, and kept asking when we could go home every few minutes.
    via Pharmacienne123
  • It was embarrassing and we ended up having to leave early. The excuse he used was that it was tired and past his bedtime - despite the fact we are liberal with his bedtime during summer and it was in line with a typical late summer night for him.
    via Pharmacienne123
  • Part of his punishment is no longer being liberal with the bedtime he seems to want only when it's convenient for him (9:30 on school nights).
    via Pharmacienne123
  • This leads straight into the real punishment - around his birthday in a few months, there is an evening concert of an artist my son really wants. My husband had bought tickets to bring him. It's not his birthday present, but because it's around his birthday my son has been considering it as such.
    via Pharmacienne123
  • Because the concert is on a school night I had never been a fan of bringing him at all. Given his behavior last night, I told him that concert is no longer an option for him.
    via Pharmacienne123
  • Teenage boy wearing a black hoodie stands in front of a red wall
    via Unsplash+ (via Ben den Engelsen)

    Teenage boy wearing a black hoodie stands in front of a red wall.

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • To me, it's a fair punishment-ruin one concert, then you don't get to go to another, especially when you've shown you apparently can't handle staying up past your bedtime.
    via Pharmacienne123
  • My son thinks I'm the worst person *ever*. My mom thinks I'm being way too strict and that I should have given him a warning that he would not be able to go to the concert when he was acting up last night (truth be told I had forgotten about it - but I also think I should not have to spell out natural consequences for a 10-year-old the way I would for a toddler). My husband will support me on this but thinks it's quite strict.
    via Pharmacienne123
  • I just don't want to raise an entitled kid who thinks he can ruin one show he knows I was looking forward to, and then continue on what he wants to see with zero consequences. That seems to send a horrible message.
    via Pharmacienne123
  • anonymiscreant9 INFO, did you ever sit down with your son and have a serious discussion about how he was feeling that night and why he was acting the way he was? Teach your son emotional intelligence instead of punishing him for having feelings. He's 10. This is normal for kids his age.
    via Pharmacienne123
  • Huey-_-Freeman Do you know why he was in such a bad mood besides being tired?
    via Pharmacienne123
  • Crowd gathered at a nighttime outdoor concert
    via Unsplash+ (via Yvette de Wit)

    Crowd gathered at a nighttime outdoor concert.

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • Crowlady77 You're not the ah le for not letting him go to a concert on a school night. You are the a h_le for this: "To me, it's a fair punishment-ruin one concert, then you don't get to go to another, especially when you've shown you apparently can't handle staying up past your bedtime." He doesn't need to be punished, he's 10 he doesn't know what he's ready for. This was your blunder.
    via Pharmacienne123
  • ijustlikebeingnosy So he was a typical 10 yr old. Why are playing a petty game with your child?
    via Pharmacienne123
  • BumblingBloke 10 is kind of young for a concert. I don't care how liberal you are with bedtimes. That's a different type of staying up late. You are being intentionally vindictive vs actually trying to figure out a real parenting solution and educating your son on behavior. The behavior you are exhibiting is pretty childish in and of itself. There's a lesson here for both of you. YTA.
    via Pharmacienne123
  • amazeballs666 So you are hellbent on ruining your son's day by refusing to let him go to a concert which he thinks is a birthday gift to him? Why? Because he ruined your concert day? Or you are struggling to cope with him growing into those difficult years every kid goes through including you? YTA. Not because of school night thing. It looks like you are being petty and trying to find every reason to ruin that concert for him like he did for you.
    via Pharmacienne123
  • Ledees_Gazpacho You're being petty with a 10 year old because he was tired and cranky one night. Obviously YTA.
    via Pharmacienne123

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