A young adult recently posted on Reddit looking for advice. He wanted to know if he was in the wrong for moving out after his parents told him to pay rent. This is the full story.
He’s Just Become an Adult
The Original Poster (OP) just turned 18 and was excited about all the possibilities that came with adulthood.
He had planned a big party to celebrate with friends and family and had rented out a venue for the occasion.
A Great Night Celebrating
The night was a blast, and everyone had a great time, including OP, who had his first drink.
However, he couldn’t remember much from the night except for the photos he saw, which indicated that he had a good time.
His Parents Wanted to Talk to Him
A few days later, OP’s parents sat him down for a talk. They congratulated him on becoming a man but also had some expectations from him.
They revealed that they were disappointed that despite him working long hours, they had not received any money from him.
Reasonable Enough?
They explained that they had expected him to help them with rent as soon as he started working. This took OP aback as he had no idea that his parents expected him to contribute financially.
Of Course, He’d Contribute if He Knew
OP was working in the construction industry, and he started his first job at McDonald’s at the age of 16.
His parents never mentioned anything about paying rent or helping out with household expenses.
He didn’t mind helping them out if they had asked, but his parents made it seem like he was in the wrong for not contributing.
At the Time He Was Young and Didn’t Think
All OP could see at the time was the triple-digit paycheck that he wanted to spend on things he enjoyed.
But he knew that if they were asking for rent, he’d gladly pay – after they were his parents!
Even Though He Was Going to Pay Rent, They Wanted More
But despite OP’s willingness to help, his parents weren’t satisfied.
They told him that he had to pay them back all the money that he should’ve given them since he started working, which amounted to almost $10,000!
That’s a Lot of Money!
OP had not budgeted for this significant amount of money and couldn’t pay – but he also didn’t want to!
His parents made it clear that he had two options – either pay rent and pay them back or move out and find his own place.
He Accepted Their Ultimatum
Feeling disrespected and hurt, OP chose to move out of his parent’s house. He went to stay at his friend’s place for a few days until he found an apartment of his own.
OP was happy to have a place of his own and the independence that came with it.
But It’s Caused a Rift
However, his decision did not sit well with his parents, who bombarded him with calls and texts, accusing him of disrespecting them by not paying them what he owed.
His Friends Are Divided
OP’s friends were divided in their opinions about the situation. Some of them already hated his parents and saw his decision to move out as justified.
Others believed that it was his duty as a son to help his parents out financially. OP was caught in the middle of all this and felt confused and overwhelmed.
He Never Knew, as They’d Never Told Him
OP felt that his parents were trying to gaslight him into giving them money and that they had disrespected him.
He didn’t know that he was supposed to give them money or help out, and he would have done so if they had asked.
He was willing to help his parents, but they had made him feel like he was in the wrong for not knowing something that they had never told him.
Was He in the Wrong?
He just wanted to know if he was the jerk in the situation or not.
He needed closure and validation for his decision. He turned to Reddit and asked if he was the jerk for moving out after his parents told him to pay rent.
There were many responses, but the majority of the people who commented believed that OP was not the jerk in this situation.
A Massive Amount of Money to Backdate
They said that backdating rent to a child was mooching and that it was insane to demand $10,000 from him.
They also noted that parents are legally obligated to support their minor children, and OP’s parents couldn’t expect him to pay rent when he was still a minor.
An Atypical Situation
One user said that it was typical to ask for rent when the child turns 18, but it wasn’t typical to start charging rent when the child is 16 and has just started working.
They also said that OP owed his parents nothing and that getting away from them was the best move.
Another user added that children don’t pay rent to their parents, and parents are supposed to provide for their children.
He’s Taken Control of His Life
They commended him for taking control of his life and making a tough decision.
They pointed out that his parents should have communicated their expectations to him earlier and that OP was not responsible for paying them back for something that he did not know.
They also noted that his parents’ reaction was inappropriate and manipulative.
An Update Offers Hope
In an update posted later, OP had taken their advice to heart. He’s hoping he can patch things up with his family and understands that he should have helped out without being told to.
He said, “I can now clearly see that backdating rent to a minor which is already bad in itself, will never be acceptable, and I stand firm on my decision of not paying and moving out.”
“I do, however, have a family dinner in a few days with my parents and siblings.”
Hopefully, it all works out, and they can become a family again.
What do you think? Should he have paid the $10,000? Was it fair to backdate his rent?
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The post He Turned 18 and His Parents Backdated His Rent and Told Him to Pay $10,000 or Move Out. So He Did Just That! Is He in the Wrong? first appeared on Fistful of Dollars.
Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / Kues. The people shown in the images are for illustrative purposes only, not the actual people featured in the story.
Source: Reddit