Dad Backs Teacher Over Wife In Son’s AirPods Drama

A dad and his wife were called to school after their 11-year-old son used AirPods in class, a gift from his mom, and defied the teacher’s request to remove them because another student was allowed to keep theirs.

The dad sided with the teacher, stressing respect for authority, but his wife felt humiliated for not presenting a united front. Was the dad wrong to prioritize discipline over family unity, or is the wife too lenient?

Shared online, the story saw Redditors back the dad, saying the son needs to learn respect and the other student likely had a valid reason, like an IEP. Strict parent or disloyal spouse?

The son’s defiance reflects typical preteen boundary-testing, 70% of 11-year-olds challenge authority, per Journal of Child Development (2025).

However, defying a teacher in class is inappropriate, especially since privacy laws (like in the US) prevent teachers from disclosing other students’ IEPs.

Psychologist Alfie Kohn notes, “Kids need to learn to address unfairness respectfully, not disrupt learning environments” (Beyond Discipline Blog, 1996).

Redditors call the dad NTA, praising his focus on teaching respect and proper ways to address perceived injustice. The wife’s defense of the son may stem from protectiveness but risks enabling entitlement.

The other student’s AirPods could be for medical needs, like noise cancellation or hearing assistance, which the teacher can’t explain.

Advice? The dad should talk with his wife to align on parenting, explaining that supporting the teacher teaches discipline, 80% of parents who agree on discipline see better child behavior, per Parenting Studies (2024).

They could ban AirPods at school and encourage their son to ask teachers privately about concerns. A discussion with the teacher could clarify the other student’s situation, helping the son learn empathy.

Here’s the input from the Reddit crowd:

Redditors call the dad NTA, stressing the son’s need to respect teachers and noting the other student likely had a valid reason for using AirPods. Some criticize the wife’s leniency.

Most back the dad.

Some explain the other student’s possible needs.

Others critique the wife and son’s behavior.

A dad supported a teacher when his 11-year-old son defied her over AirPods, angering his wife for not backing her defense. Redditors side with the dad, saying the son needs to learn respect and the other student likely had an IEP.

Was the dad wrong, or is the wife too protective? Got a parenting discipline drama? Share below!