This mom let her 7-year-old order Chick-fil-A alone—and the lesson hit home

More than 12 million people have now watched a brave little boy named Wells stride into a Chick-fil-A solo mission-style—no parent, no phone, and no GPS tracker clipped to his hoodie. Just a crumpled bill, some coaching from mom, and his own sense of “I got this.”

The video comes from Utah-based mom of five, Stephanie Reed, who shared the moment on Instagram (@stephanie_reed_) as part of a family-wide challenge inspired by The Anxious Generation, the bestselling 2024 book by social psychologist Jonathan Haidt.

In the video, Steph explains that after reading about the dangers of overprotecting kids and overexposing them to screens, she had each of her children pick an age-appropriate task to tackle on their own. For 7-year-old Wells? That meant ordering Chick-fil-A dinner by himself.

“The worst part is I can’t watch,” Reed says, her voice cracking slightly as she describes sitting in the car, unable to see inside. “No phone, no way to communicate with me… I can’t see if he’s in trouble.”

Spoiler alert: Wells handled it like a champ. And yes—he upgraded his mom’s drink to a large.

The quiet fear many of us are carrying

Reed’s video struck a chord not just because it was sweet, but because it surfaced something many millennial parents quietly grapple with: why is it so hard to give our kids the same freedom we had?

I remember riding my bike into town with friends, walking myself to school (no cell phone), and playing outside until the streetlights came on. But today, even letting a kid wait in the car for 3 minutes while you grab milk can invite judgment—or worse, a call to CPS.

And yet, research is clear: our kids need that freedom to thrive.

Experts advise that allowing children to take age-appropriate risks is critical in their developing confidence and resilience. Other studies have shown that children who are allowed to take age-appropriate risks are less anxious and more confident than their overly supervised peers.

Put simply: when we constantly protect our kids from discomfort, we accidentally rob them of the opportunity to grow. 

Related: Chick-Fil-A’s daddy-daughter night sounds adorable and delicious

Raising brave kids starts with braving our own fear

Reed’s story reminds us that letting go is hard—especially in a culture that’s all eyes, all judgment, and zero village. But if we want our kids to grow up strong and capable, we have to let them take small steps into the world. Even if it’s just to the Chick-fil-A counter.

And the most heartwarming part? Wells was proud. Nervous, sure. But proud. “My legs are still shivering,” he said in the video, “but yeah, that was so fun.” 

We’re proud of you Wells. And we’re proud of Wells’ mama for showing us how stepping back, and letting your kids shine, is done.

Turns out, bravery isn’t just for the kids—it’s for the parents, too.

Related: Georgia mom arrested for letting her son walk to town alone—how much freedom should kids have?

Sources:

1. Resilience in kids. NHS. Resilience – Better Lives Healthy Futures
2. Children’s safety and development. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2012. “Risky Play and Children’s Safety: Balancing Priorities for Optimal Child Developmen”