Mom Left Feeling Like The Worst Person In The World After Asking Her Working Daughter To Start Contributing To Home Expenses

One mother thought she was making a reasonable request, but her daughter saw it very differently. A small ask about household money quickly turned into a family blowup, and now the internet is weighing in.

In a Mumsnet post, a mother explained that her 16-year-old daughter had started an apprenticeship and was earning about £14.5K a year. With no major expenses of her own, she asked the teen to contribute £50 a week toward the home, and even suggested she start paying her phone bill too.

That was enough to spark a furious reaction, and the mother was left wondering if she had gone too far. Here's how the situation unfolded.

When is it (if ever) appropriate to charge your teen and adult children rent?

Highwaystarz-Photography (not the actual photo)

OP shared her story: Her daughter is 17 and just started working

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OP’s daughter doesn’t have any expenses

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So OP asked her to start contributing to the family budget. And the amount was minimal

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Her daughter didn't like the idea. OP tried to explain, but she didn't care

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OP also asked her daughter to pay her own phone bill

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The money OP asked her daughter for would be used to pay for her driving lessons

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Now OP asks if she was right.

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The comments section did not hold back.

Redditors shared their experiences

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And most of them contributed to household expenses when they started working

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Parents agree with OP

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And none of the Redditors who paid part of the expenses are complaining

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They think it was justified

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And taught them the value of money

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Talya Stone believes that it’s extremely important to teach kids the value of money. “They need to understand it from an early age,” she said. Talya is a former editor-in-chief turned parenting blogger and the woman behind Motherhood: The Real Deal and 40 Now What.

To help them, she suggested giving kids pocket money and their own wallet from a fairly young age. “Tell them to bring it along on days out and holidays, and pay for small items they want for themselves, even if it’s just a bar of chocolate,” she added.“I think I started doing this with my daughter when she was five, but this could even be done earlier. Understanding money, how much things cost, spending power, and how to save is a vital life skill.If your child wants a new toy, instead of buying it for them every time on demand, you can encourage them to save towards it and tell them you will pay for half as long as they do, for instance. This has never been more important in the increasingly materialistic world we live in.”

This is similar to the AITA poster confronting siblings whose irresponsible spending tanked family finances.

That advice struck a chord with plenty of readers.

This is true...

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It is a valuable lesson...

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It is never too early to start learning...

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Good point...

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True...

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Not unreasonable at all

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It is not a lot of money...

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OP is teaching a lesson

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Everything we do has consequences, and the sooner she learns that, the better.

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One of the most important tasks parents have is preparing their kids for the world outside. Financial education and money management are essential lessons for children to learn.

While these themes are covered in part in the school curriculum through arithmetic, it is the parent's responsibility to ensure that the child understands how to live within their means.

Was she wrong to put her foot down?

Not sure where to draw the line on family bills, read the daughter who demanded her parents pay their share despite splurging on luxuries.