My 17 year old and I have never had a terrible relationship. He's usually comfortable with talking to me and stuff. However, he wants to leave me. I am what the new generation considers strict. I have to have the password to his phone, I'm allowed to do random checks because I paid for it, if they have social media I must have full access to it, no locking the door, no going outside when on the phone, 9 pm curfew, no sex at all, no bringing girlfriend over and no going anywhere with his girlfriend unless it's a group outing. He was trying to be sneaky three weeks ago. He was deleting his text messages. I asked him if he was deleting conversations and he lied to me saying no so I trusted that. Then I took his phone while he was asleep and I see a very explicit conversation between him and his girlfriend and talking about ONE OF the times they screwed in the stalls at school. I literally snatched him out of the bed until he confessed every single thing to me. I stayed in that room for 45 minutes. He came to me the next morning asking if I'd be fine if he got emancipated and that made me emotional so I started yelling/cursing but I apologized. He told me to let him prove that he's mature enough to take care of himself. I asked how and he says "Hand my phone bill over to me. Let me help with the light bill too or the water bill or something. Let me buy the groceries." I agreed. He just paid his phone bill and buys the groceries. He even gave me some cash for the water bill but I said no, keep your money. He actually makes decent money, too because he's a huge workaholic. I've tried to warn him against over working but he takes after his grandmother. She could never be seated. My son makes $12 an hour at Chuck E Cheese and he likes to sew quilts, pillows, and paint portraits of people for extra $$. I really don't want him to leave but he is proving himself. If he's tired of the rules, I guess I'll just have to let him go because my authority as the parent ain't changing. In a way, it makes me realize he has the potential to be the most successful one in this family. We sat on the couch watching a movie a few hours ago. He went on and on and on about how he's going to be the best equine veterinarian in the future (Thats his career dream) 😂❤ I told him you'll get there. He didn't say thank you, he said "I know" LOL. I'm gonna miss him. I hope he changes his mind.