Mom Charges Her 7-Year-Old Son Rent and Other Bills to Teach Him Responsibility

A Florida mom has sparked a big reaction online after sharing the way she teaches her 7-year-old son about money. Her TikTok setup includes chores, pay, and even bills, all wrapped into what she calls a parenting hack.

She says the idea is meant to help him learn responsibility early, but plenty of people disagree on whether rent and bills belong in a child’s world at all. Some viewers think it is a smart lesson, while others say he is far too young for that kind of pressure.

Here is how she says it works, and why the comments got so divided.

Here's the famous mother.

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Okay, so here's the story. She's been doing it for two months.

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She pays him a dollar per day.

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She charges him for the bills at the end of the month.

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She leaves it up to him to distribute his money between "fun" and "bills" money.

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She says she's pleased with the results.

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She doesn't use his money for bills but rather puts it back into his savings.

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The task list.

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Here's the visual on how she lays it out for him.

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Here's a little bit more of what she had to say.

“Other things to do include taking them along to the bank with you and setting up a bank account in their name from a young age, having them deposit some of their pocket money in there,” Talya Stone added.“Talk to them about how much things cost when you are in the shops or buying online. Discuss what you earn or how much a family holiday or day out costs. We shouldn’t shy away from these topics or feel embarrassed by them. Open, age-appropriate communication around these matters, as with other aspects of parenting, is vital.You can also ask to borrow money from them-a dollar here and there-and pay it back so they understand this concept too.”

Also, it gets messy fast when parents refuse to repay a promised loan, like in this AITA about a borrower asking for repayment.

Now let's look at the comments from people on this technique she's using. So far, not so good.

sam.ann_x

Kids should be kids.

jillianxkelly

Yes to the task list, but no to paying bills.

veronicamontejan9

A lot of people are a little on the fence themselves. Great idea, but maybe her son is too young.

casharroyo

They shouldn't be thinking about bills at such a young age.

_semajay

Some commenters actually love the idea.

katg093

It will teach him responsibility and budgeting.

jaydecapps1

Great idea so they learn from a young age.

naatpat

A suggestion of a late fee if he doesn't pay on time.

user493143603

Very true, it can only be taught at home.

lbxv15

More people loving it for responsibility and budgeting.

cyluna1117

She's receiving praise from some.

gine_joi

What do you think about this idea? I think a lot of us remember doing chores for a small amount of money to help us learn that money is earned, but many of us weren't exactly taught how to budget that money.

The comments are split because some think the son is too young, while others say it's a great idea and will teach him valuable lessons early on.

Do you think it's a smart idea, or do you think she's taking it to the extreme?

Now see how “my money” versus “our money” sparked a fight in a SAHM’s side hustle, where the husband accused her of spending earnings “wrong”.