Barefoot Investor Scott Pape explains major change that improved life significantly

Barefoot Investor Scott Pape has encouraged a concerned mother to quit social media, setting an example for her teenage son who was struggling with his mental health.

Mr Pape received a letter last week from Leonie, who “lives in constant fear” of her 13-year-old son being exposed to bad things on social media.

The mother wrote that her son has “severe mental health issues” after being exposed to “bad things” on his phone after a prank was played on his friend.

“Last semester one of his friends was raped at school and someone took a photo, which was distributed throughout the school,” Leonie wrote.

‘He has serious psychological problems as a result and the police have been contacted because the photo could end up in the wrong hands.’

Leonie explained that she wants to teach her son the dangers of social media, but feels that she is not setting a good example with phone use.

“I’m trying to teach him the dangers of social media,” Leonie wrote.

‘But I feel like a hypocrite because I’m constantly glued to my mobile phone, which sets a very bad example for him. I really hate myself.’

Mr Pape was referring to a column he wrote earlier this year about Wayne Holdsworth (right) whose teenage son Mackenzie (left) committed suicide after being the target of a brutal extortion fraud.

In his response to the mother, Mr Pape referred to “the saddest column” he ever wrote about 16-year-old Mackenzie ‘Mac’ Holdsworth earlier this year.

Mac took his own life on October 24 last year after he was tricked on Instagram into sending an intimate photo to a person he thought was a teenage girl.

Instead, it was delivered to a 45-year-old pervert from NSW who used it as part of a vicious sextortion scam, threatening to send the photo to his friends and family if he didn’t transfer a total of $1,000.

Mr Pape assured the concerned mother that she was not alone and that parents all over the world were facing the same issues.

He also added that Mackenzie’s father, Wayne, had created a grassroots campaign called ‘Unplug24’, which encouraged Aussies to disconnect from social media for 24 hours.

The campaign, which marked the first anniversary of the teenager’s death, aimed to raise awareness of the harm social media can cause.

Mr Pape claimed it was up to the mother to make a difference, explaining that he ‘unplugged’ from social media a few years ago and has benefited from it.

“Personally, I unplugged from social media a few years ago – with full intentions of getting back on it (after all, I was told that to be successful I had to post multiple times a day),” wrote Mr Pape.

‘However, I forgot to plug it back in: I loved the freedom so much that I never went back.

‘And you know what? I can tell you that I am truly happier for it… and so are my children.”

It comes as the parents of a 12-year-old girl who killed herself after two years of relentless bullying are pushing for reform of anti-bullying policies in schools and campaigning to raise the legal age for social media access.

Charlotte O’Brien, a Year 7 student at Santa Sabina College in Strathfield in Sydney’s inner west, took her own life on September 9.

In the weeks following her death, Charlotte’s parents Matthew and Kelly met with senior policy advisors to the NSW Government, Premier Chris Minns and his office, and also had a discussion with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese about anti-bullying reforms .

Mr Pape said he and his children are happier since he pulled the plug on social media a few years ago

It comes after the parents of Charlotte O’Brien, 12, (pictured) urged reform of anti-bullying policies and changing the age at which children can access social media after their daughter committed suicide after two years of brutal bullying.

The pair have also backed the 36 Months campaign, which aims to change legislation to delay social media for teenagers until the age of 16.

“Overuse of social media is rewiring young brains within a critical window of psychological development, causing an epidemic of mental illness,” the petition reads.

‘It has been linked to mental health problems, cyberbullying, anxiety, depression, self-harm and even suicide in Australian teenagers.

‘At 13, children are not yet ready to safely navigate online social networks. These years are crucial for them to develop a secure sense of self-esteem in addition to social self-confidence.

’36 Months aims to create a supportive platform for teens to cultivate a secure identity and navigate the digital landscape with resilience and mindfulness.’

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