'I looked at the check and started laughing': Family demands their kid pay rent while in college, then 'gift' him the money back 4 years later, he cuts off all contact with them in response

Author image for Bar Mor Hazut
Bar Mor Hazut • Senior Editor
Apr 30, 2024 10:00 AM EDT

Every parent wants to have the opportunity to help their kids as much as they can and prepare them for real life. Some parents do it by giving their kids everything they ask for, and even helping them financially through every step of the way. Other parents do it by finding a way to teach their kids a lesson, and showing them what life really is in the real world.

The parents in this Reddit story really thought they were teaching their kid an important lesson. His whole life, he had to work to get what he wanted, and never got a break from his parents. Even when he started college, his parents made him pay rent in order to keep living in their house. That meant that he had to work all through his four years of college to afford it. Then, as a graduation present, his parents give him a check for all the rent he paid in those four years, thinking he will be grateful. Well, 'grateful' was not the right word to describe what their son was actually feeling…

Scroll down to read the full story. After you are done, click here for a silly collection of funny memes.

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  • 01
    AITAH for telling my parents to keep all the money they stole from me while I was in university
    via u/Potential_Let_3651
  • 02
    I got a job while I was in high school. It was with a friend of my father. I put away most of it and just bought myself some stuff I wanted but my parents wouldn't buy for me. My
    via u/Potential_Let_3651
  • 03
    parents aren't rich but they do well enough. They wanted me to appreciate that material goods were paid for with my time.
    via u/Potential_Let_3651
  • 04
    I didn't mind. I bought myself a PS4 and some games. Which they made me share with my younger brother and sister. Once again I didn't mind. I mostly played while they did homework or slept.
    via u/Potential_Let_3651
  • 05
    When I graduated from high school they said I had to start paying rent. That sod because I was going to university in the fall and I was hoping to save up over the summer so I could work less during the school year.
    via u/Potential_Let_3651
  • 06
    off in school So I worked my and at work. I ended up getting a job loading delivery trucks before school. And that id because I went to sleep at 7 pm most nights so I could get up early and go to work.
    via u/Potential_Let_3651
  • 07
    I am about to graduate and I found a job in another province. I have already started doing my onboarding and online training. I will go from graduation to loading my car to leave. My parents had a graduation
    via u/Potential_Let_3651
  • 08
    party for me where they tried to present me with a cheque for all the rent I paid plus a pittance in interest. I looked at the cheque for about a minute and I started laughing.
    via u/Potential_Let_3651
  • 09
    All I could think of was the fact that I had no social life during university. Because I was working. I didn't have any money in investments like my friends did. Because they were taking my money.
    via u/Potential_Let_3651
  • 10
    I asked them how they were doing this for my sister. They said they weren't since she wasn't working while she went to school.
    via u/Potential_Let_3651
  • 11
    I tore up the cheque and told them to s I told them that when they compensated me for all the sleep I lost, four years of no social life during university and four summer vacations, I would
    via u/Potential_Let_3651
  • 12
    speak to them again. I told my little brother not to get a job or they would him over too. I went to my room, grabbed my computer, some clothes, my PS4, and my toiletries. My
    via u/Potential_Let_3651
  • 13
    brother and sister can play on the PS5 my parents bought the family. They were yelling at me the whole time. I said if they touched me or tried to stop me
    via u/Potential_Let_3651
  • 14
    I would call the cops. I loaded up my car, that I paid for, I insure, and is registered to me. I drove to my friend's parent's house and had a bit of a breakdown.
    via u/Potential_Let_3651
  • 15
    They let me stay there since she is away at university in another city. I blocked my parents and my brother and sister. I had already given notice at my job so I called my boss and told him I was sick and would not be
    via u/Potential_Let_3651
  • 16
    available for my last week. He said he understood and laughed. He said he was surprised I had kept working this close to graduation.
    via u/Potential_Let_3651
  • 17
    My grandfather called me to talk a couple of days later. We went to Timmies and he let me unload everything I felt. They took money from me that I could have used to make my life better. I didn't even have time
    via u/Potential_Let_3651
  • 18
    for a girlfriend. My entire university romantic life was with a woman I work with when her ex husband had the kids for the weekend. He said my parent's hearts were in the right place and that they thought they were helping me. I
    via u/Potential_Let_3651
  • 19
    said they owed me four years of fun. Of parties I was too tired to go to. Of social events and networking I didn't do. All the they were subsidizing for my sister. And that they would end up subsidizing for my brother.
    via u/Potential_Let_3651
  • 20
    He said he understood and hugged me. He is old but I couldn't have gotten free of that hug if I tried. He asked me if I needed money to start my new job. I said I did not want anything that came from my parents. He gave me a cashier's
    via u/Potential_Let_3651
  • 21
    cheque for about three times what my parents took from me. He said to use it however I wanted in my new life. He said it wasn't part of my inheritance or anything. It was a gift from him and something my grandma would have wanted me to have.
    via u/Potential_Let_3651
  • 22
    My friends think I was stupid to tear up the cheque. Most of them agree with me about being at my parents. p Some family have called me to say I behaved terribly and that I owe my parents an apology. I
    via u/Potential_Let_3651
  • 23
    thank them for the call or message and block them. I'm calmer now and I do not think I am in the wrong. But maybe I'm too close to see what I'm missing. AITAH
    via u/Potential_Let_3651
  • 24
    Fish_On_again · 10 hr. ago Make sure you keep up the lines of communication with grandpa. He's going to be there for you when you need an objective ear. Im 40 years old and would do anything to have that back. This may all eventually blow over or not. Stay true to your self. It's gotten you this far, and that's pretty awesome.
    via u/Fish_On_again
  • 25
    • Tricky_Personality54 · 9 hr. ago NTA I Love your grandpa. Hold him near.
    via u/Tricky_Personality54
  • 26
    Sebscreen 11 hr. ago NTA. They saw that the lifestyle they forced on you was you for years and did nothing. And they waited to do it at a party they hosted so they could get full credit as great parents too. The fact that they never intend to pull this reeks of bias. on your sister
    via u/Sebscreen
  • 27
    Kratos3770 11 hr. ago Dude the up thing is they think they were helping you. They want to take credit for who you have become, yet it was you who did it. Bravo to you, and congrats on graduating and starting this new journey of your life, I hope it's everything you want and more. Good luck. NTA
    via u/Kratos3770

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family drama aita entitled parents drama kids mother reddit story parenting petty family Reddit money college son college student parents Father
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