Whether you live with them or not, your parents should support you. They should be proud if you got a new job and started saving for college. Unfortunately, one teen experienced the opposite.
Children over 18 years old living with their parents. (Source: News24 Life)
Child-Parent Support of Teenagers 18-years-old Above
After his parents claimed his hidden savings, 17-year-old Redditor u/JonKingStone sought guidance online. They made him pay rent, and the family drama made them quite distant. Many parents would be proud that their child finally has a job and is making money. However, some become selfish. The parents cared more about the teen’s money than financial responsibility. The irony is that the teenager was so thrilled with his employment that he helped out at home. “I told my parents about it and offered to pay for groceries to help them,” he claimed. This Reddit user explained how his mum got his stashed money in his room. She requested half of it for rent while he lived with them. After talking to his dad, she demanded all the money, according to the OP.
They stated I was a stubborn son and demanded everything. If I disagreed, I could leave. So, I left,” u/JonKingStone said, moving in with his uncle, who gave him his job. Fortunately, many Redditors gave the teen fantastic advice. They said he did nothing wrong and were outraged by his parents’ selfishness. As one Reddit user noted, the issue isn’t that the parents sought rent once their child started earning money. The quantity they want and the attitude, as if his money doesn’t belong to him, are the issues. “Just snatching an arbitrary amount is theft and nothing else,” one Redditor said, recommending the adolescent to open a bank account and lockbox.
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Asking Your Child to Pay Rent has Pros and Cons
Teaching kids about financial responsibility is generally a good idea. That involves teaching children money values, saving, and investing. Another key lesson is that family members contribute to the household according to their time and resources. But each family decides how to teach these lessons and what to emphasize.
Youngsters can prepare for adulthood by paying rent and utilities. Their contribution amount should be depending on their employment salary. They probably won’t bring as much money as their parents each month. If they earn little, even a small amount can help with home expenses, but you don’t want them to hate you for stealing their money. Whatever you do as a parent, talk openly about this topic. You must outline expectations for their contribution, payment deadlines, and consequences for late payments.
Asking your child to use their money to pay rent is pointless if they’re not working. While living with their parents, kids can help in different ways. They could aid in different ways. They could help with housework including cleaning dishes, food shopping, cooking, garbage removal, vacuuming, and more. This could be an alternative to rent if they’re contributing to the household. However, the youngster should not do all the housework—they’re not a servant. Avoid your child feeling exploited.
According to ‘Parents Plus Kids’, children under 18 should not pay rent. They shouldn’t have to pay for housing until they’re adults. Otherwise, the parent-child relationship could become a landlord-tenant transaction. Ultimately, kids paying rent depends on each family’s condition. Regardless, no parent should take their child’s funds against their choice.
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