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Family dynamics

14th Jul 2022

Mum’s admission she charges her 18-year-old rent is dividing the internet

Trine Jensen-Burke

Thoughts?

Many young adults leave the family home when they get to 18 – and the time comes to start college or university.

However, these days, more and more are deciding to remain at home, mostly due to high living costs and the insane rent- and housing market. market.

If adult kids stay in the family home, where do you stand on charging them rent for remaining there?

A US mum recently went viral on TikTok for making her 18-year-old daughter sign a lease agreeing to pay rent.

The TikTok mum uploaded a video with the caption: “Teaching moment…Setting up for success.

“When your 18-year-old decides to stay at home.”

She revealed she makes her daughter pay $150 a month to stay at home and explained this pays for “utilities, room, food and everything else”.

‘Setting her up for success’

The mum, who is from Oklahoma and has six children, reveals that she is not being greedy, but is simply trying to set her daughter up for success.

“I was a single mum at 16 and my parents didn’t set me up for success,” she reveals, adding that she is simply doing her bit to prepare her children for the real world.

“I had to fight for every single thing I have.”

‘The support doesn’t stop at 18’

Some people agreed with the mum, saying that she is doing makes sense.

However, many disagreed with her strategy, especially given the cost of living right now, and the housing crisis out there.

“Yikes my parents did this to me and it only created trauma for me,” one woman commented.

“Thankfully I made eight figures and don’t have to struggle any longer.”

Another one said:

“My parents did this and we no longer talk! So good luck I guess.”

A third one added:

“Unless you’re saving that money to give them when they do move out, no way.”

She added:

“I’d like to see an 18-year-old have a job [that] pays enough to live in this economy.”

Another parent chimed in with:

“Yikes – already hard enough being a kid and not at all like it used to be. Girl, get out of there!”

And another one commented:

“No way. My parenting and support don’t stop at 18. As long as they are in school or working, they can stay with us. Love isn’t a condition.”

 

Topics:

parenting,viral