Mother's note to family about changing thermostat ending cold-weather arguments

Courtesty: WMAQ (Copyright by WSLS - All rights reserved)

NBC 5 News Staff – (WMAQ) - It's an argument many families have had over and over again, but one mom is putting that argument to rest.

When can you turn on the heat?

Recommended Videos



In a Facebook post that has since been shared by thousands, Autumn Brandon, of Michigan, wrote a note to her family with a checklist of questions to ask before turning the thermostat up.

Among the questions she asked were:

1. Are you wearing a hoodie, pants, socks?

2. Is it November?

3. Do you pay the gas bill?

The note resonated with many, being shared more than 7,100 times and garnering more than 28,000 comments and 80,000 likes within less than a week of being posted.

Though some responses have criticized Brandon and her parenting, others say they related to the post.

"First and foremost, it was meant as a joke between myself and my kids," Brandon told TODAY.

Her teenage son jokingly reacted to news the post had gone viral by telling her "that's just 33,000 people that see how much you nag us," Brandon said.

She added that she has only one regret with her post, and it was the spelling error in which she wrote "unles" instead of "unless."

"There is no autocorrect with a pencil," she told TODAY.

Still, she said she's stunned by the support she's received since her note unexpectedly became an Internet sensation.

"I'm a humbled mom here in Clarkston just trying to keep energy costs low," she said.