College-going 18-year-old avoids parents charging rent because he's a student, annoys 3 working sisters who have to pay $200/month: 'He saw this as a golden opportunity and is running with it'

Author image for Ally Perry
Ally Perry • Writer and Editor
Aug 16, 2024 6:00 PM EDT

Anybody who has gotten a degree (or attempted to) knows that college is not a walk in the park. Achieving that level of education can be stressful in more ways than one, and it's a time in a person's life when they have to take advantage of all the help that they can get.

Many students get some kind of help from their parents, whether that is money towards their fees or a roof over their heads. It's not something that most people would have a problem with—unless they felt like they were being unfairly snubbed, of course. This was a dilemma that one parent found themselves in after they promised all four of their kids they would allow them to live with them for free if they went to college. 

The three older daughters decided to go straight to work and were therefore charged $200 a month, whereas the son decided on university. When he got a part-time job alongside this, his siblings began to protest unfair treatment. It's something that Reddit had a lot to say about. 

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    Cheezburger Image 10390230528
    via Jeremy McKnight

    Photo does not represent real subject in the story

  • 02
    AITA for forcing 3 of my kids to get a job and charging rent but not the other?
    via rentmaster2
  • 03
    I always told my kids that if they go to college, I'll take care of everything else. Told them that since they were little kids. Now i have 4 kids. 3 daughter and 1 son. The 3 oldest (the daughters) decided college wasn't for them. I understood but I told them they can't just sit in my house. I made them get jobs and I charge them rent. 200 a month. They're all doing well but they all still live in the house. My youngest is 18. That's the boy. He graduated 3 months ago but just got accepted into
    via rentmaster2
  • 04
    I did not force him to get a job as I said if they go to school I'll literally do everything else. He himself decided he wanted a job. He works at fedex and makes about 300 a week. I don't charge him rent and I'm still gonna try to take care of him until he's done with college. My daughter are more than mad that he's not paying anything. They believe him having a job means he can pay something. They also belive I shouldnt take care of everything for him if he has a job and he's not paying rent.
    via rentmaster2
  • 05
    I'm not charging him rent because he's going to school. Him getting a job changes nothing in my mind. He simply saw this as a golden opportunity and is running with it. AITA for forcing my daughter to get a job and charge rent while my son doesn't have to pay anything because he went to school.
    via rentmaster2
  • 06
    Peony-Pony NTA My father told all six of us, if you go to university and stay, I'll pay and help you with expenses. If your drop out and want to go back it's on your dime. I am the youngest, my brother closest in age to me went to university and got our degrees because we watched the other four drop out. Your daughters are jealous. You were fair and offered all your children the same opportunity. Your daughter's didn't take you up on the offer. Let them find a rent with everything included and b
    via Peony-Pony
  • 07
    MyHairsOnFire2023 NTA. They all had the same options with the same opportunities &/or consequences that each of those options came with. Your youngest chose the option that afforded more opportunities & few consequences. Your oldest chose the option that afforded more consequences & few opportunities. That's on all of them. They weren't deceived into their choices. They made them with their eyes wide open & now want to whine about the youngest not facing the same consequences that THEY are for t
    via MyHairs0nFire2023
  • 08
    PumpkinPowerful3292 NTA - The deal was if they keep in school you'll pay, the same deal I have given my kids. If not you get a job and pay rent. If you are still in school and make some money on the side, good for you. Your son is just making a better deal for himself because he is more productive. Your daughters should really take that lesson to heart in life. Rewards come when you put in the extra effort.
    via PumpkinPowerful3292
  • 09
    mdthomas If your daughters aren't going to college or trade school, having them pay rent is fair. It's still much less than what they would have to pay living on their own. Your son decided to get a job to have extra money while in school. Him having the extra income does not mean he should have to pay rent as he is abiding by the terms of your agreement. ΝΤΑ
    via mdthomas
  • 10
    Soul Rebel726 Right, OP charging the son rent would in effect be punishing him for getting a job at all. That's obviously not the goal here, so I think OP is doing the right thing. NTA.
    via SoulRebel726
  • 11
    EnderBurger NTA. Your son is in school. You support him per the deal you offered all of your children. As far as his wages... 300 a week is not nothing, but it is also not a whole lot. It is really spending money, not "I can live on this" money. Besides... If the elder children are upset and consider their current situation unfair, they are certainly free to find other lodging. Also, I am sorry for backseat parenting, but unless you are charging them token rent so they can save money for some go
    via EnderBurger
  • 12
    lihzee NTA. Seems like a good deal to me. $200 a month isn't much and they knew your rules from the start. They could all move out and pay $1,200 if they think this is so unfair.
    via lihzee
  • 13
    extinct diplodocus NTA. All four of your kids were offered the same deal. Only one went for it. Any of the others could have done the same.
    via extinct_diplodicus
  • 14
    scrunchie_one NTA - we always had the same deal with my parents. Lived for free while at school (essentially school is your job), or you pay rent. What you are charging them is a pittance compared to what their actual living expenses would be if they moved out, so they should be grateful for the help. Also the fact that they say you're 'forcing' them to get a job is downright laughable. Sorry what else are they planning to do with their time if they aren't in school and don't have a job? What wo
    via scrunchie_one
  • 15
    Quincyheart Unlike the majority here I think YTA. You are linking your children's worth to a very specific academic pathway. rewarding good behaviour for young children is fine, but rewarding a child for choosing a very specific academic path is messed up.
    via Quincyheart
  • 16
    Jayy-Quellenn NTA. That was always the rule in my house too. My sister and I both went to college, my parents paid for it out of pocket and we did not pay for rent, groceries, supplies, etc. I did get a part time job in college but it was for beer and clothing and "fun money" basically. Had we not gone to college, we would have had to pay rent or move out. College IS a full time job. Working on top of college full time is extra. The others made their choices, they need to deal with it.
    via Jayy-Quellen
  • 17
    Avlonnic2 NTA - IF there are not a lot of restrictions on the higher education requirements. If one of the girls gets into a trade or apprenticeship, does that qualify for the 'college support' arrangement from you? If one of them decides to go to community college 5 years from now, does the deal still hold? Does it expire if she is married or has kids? Will you still support her in equitable fashion? Or have you strictly limited this offer only to offspring who go to a college or university str
    via Avlonnic2
  • 18
    spyder0067 I'll never understand charging children rent when it would be better to have them save their money to move out. It's crazy to me parents think this is ok lol. To each their own though
    via spyder0067
  • 19
    2tinymonkeys Yeah, no. NTA. They made their choice, they knew the deal. The deal didn't specify anything about a job while also going to school. Of which the income is always going to be far less than if you were to work full-time. Also he is now free to keep limited hours in order to not endanger his grades. The deal also never changed between the kids. Each of them has received the exact same deal. It would be unfair to your son to go back on your word just because his sisters feel they're bei
    via 2tinymonkeys
  • 20
    ProfessionalEven296 Wish I could pay $200 a month to stay in my house! You're NTA. You set clear rules, and the son and daughters are living by them. Not your problem!
    via ProfessionalEven296

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aita job brother sisters work parenting rent argument family reddit thread Reddit college
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