“Throw Her out Yesterday” — Adult Daughter Refuses to Pay Mom Rent, Internet’s Got No Sympathy

Financial literacy among more than half of American high school students is at alarmingly low rates. Investment News writes that 52 percent of the country's youth are woefully ignorant of the realities of what it takes to balance a checking account.

There's an argument to be made that teaching children how to be fiscally responsible from a young age is the way to go. Edutopia penned a post that delineated the results of incorporating financial literacy courses as part of a student curriculum.

This could be why this mom decided to charge her "adult children rent." However, one of her kids outright refuses to cough up her share.

So mom took to Reddit's r/AmIthea--hole sub to relay her story and ask if she is in the wrong for demanding that her 25-year-old daughter, Emma, fork over monthly cash.

The 49-year-old parent stated that she has two kids, a daughter (Emma) and a 23-year-old son, Ian. She's been divorced for 12 years, and her kids have primarily lived with her for a long time.

Child support payments stopped years ago, and she and her ex had an arrangement outside of the court system to get these payments fulfilled.

OP went on to explain that she's not looking to make any money off of them — she just wants a share of the grocery bills and utilities and that she's more than fine with $100 a week from each of them. So, for about $400 a month, they get to live in a house with a stocked fridge, and toiletries, cleaning supplies, etc. all covered.

Mom says that her son has no issue paying this money, however, her older kid outright refuses to pay her any money. "I have asked them repeatedly to contribute a set amount each month towards household expenses since I can’t continue supporting them forever."

She continues: "Ian doesn’t have a problem with this, but Emma thinks it’s my responsibility as her mother to support her financially until she’s ready to move out."

Mom goes on to mention that "some of [her] daughter's friends live at home for free." However, she said that these kids are in households with two working parents.

Furthermore, when pressed to cover some of the household expenses, her daughter rattled off what seems like a threatening and spiteful response. "My daughter has actually said she will quit her job and go on social assistance just so she can’t afford to pay me rent."

OP asked other Reddit users if she was in the wrong, and there didn't seem to be a single person who thought this was the case. One person remarked that they believed Emma has "wild ideas" about finances, and thought that the 25-year-old woman was "ungrateful" and should be kicked out "yesterday."

Another agreed, writing: "Emma can go out and learn some real-world problems and responsibilities. It’s time to kick her out. The fact that she threatened you. She threatened you to stop working and go on assistance like if that means that she will have no responsibility still … like how insane to think like that. I’m sorry, but the second that happened, sorry child, you’re out. She is ungrateful and crazy. Sorry to put it that way."

One person suggested that perhaps OP was making things too "cushy" for her daughter. Moreover, they thought that the 25-year-old should certainly have some money saved up, unless she's "frittering" it all "away and needs to learn how to budget."

What do you think? Should mom kick her out?