Is your adult child asking for rent money? See why this mum is outraged by her daughter's 'ungrateful' request

The journey of pregnancy and raising a child is undoubtedly one of life's greatest challenges, requiring immense dedication, patience, and sacrifice.

It's not rare for adult children to lean on their parents for support and guidance. Whether it's practical assistance with childcare, emotional encouragement during hard times, or financial aid to ease the burdens of parenthood, the bonds between generations often extend beyond traditional boundaries.

However, a recent incident between a mum and her pregnant daughter sparked a debate after the mum shared her daughter’s ‘delusional’ demands on social media.



A mother found herself in a bitter feud with her pregnant daughter, who demanded that she pay rent for staying with her, despite the mum's offer to help care for her newborn grandchild.

The mum, who chose to remain anonymous, shared her story on social media.

Her daughter, referred to as Kelly, is expecting her first child in a few weeks.


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Despite their age, some seniors go out of their way to support their children in times of need. Credits: Shutterstock



However, Kelly's husband is often away for work, leaving her to navigate the challenges of pregnancy and impending motherhood largely on her own.

'Sadly the husband isn’t able to get any time off to help when the baby is born,' the mum explained.

'Kelly has expressed that it feels like she will be a single mum since her husband will be travelling while she is on maternity leave.'

‘She asked if I would be willing to help. I live five hours away, and I informed her I will have to stay over, and travelling that much is a lot. She said I could stay for a month at home and help out. I agreed,’ she continued.

However, the situation took an unexpected turn when Kelly suggested that her mother should pay rent for her stay.



'I was informed today that I will need to pay rent since I am living in the home for a month,' the mumsaid.

'I told her I am not doing that. I am already doing her a huge favour and I am not paying money on top of it.'

The mother's refusal to pay rent led to a heated argument, with Kelly accusing her of being inconsiderate for 'not helping with the bills'.

The mum, on the other hand, felt that her daughter was being unreasonable. In the end, she decided to withdraw her offer to help.

'I expressed I will not be staying over now, and she is on her own. She thinks I am being a petty jerk for this also,' the mother said.

'It’s off the table. I was moving so many things around to make this work and now I’m not doing that. I already wasn’t thrilled about having no sleep for a month.'

‘Maybe I’ll show up for a weekend, but absolutely not spend more than a few days up there,’ she added.



The mum's post has since garnered over a thousand comments, with many siding with her.

‘She was ungrateful for the opportunity and missed out—I hope she will learn from this. On another note, congratulations on your undisturbed sleep,’ one commenter said.

‘Is your daughter delusional? You’re leaving your home, coming to help because her husband can’t. They should pay you,’ another replied.



‘Pay a nanny and then she will quickly realise that she should not have asked her mum to pay rent. The rate for a nanny in my area is $20 per hour—10 hours a day, that is $200 per day. Clearly the daughter needs to sign up for a remedial maths class.,’ explained another.

One pregnant woman who also shared her feelings said, ‘I’m a single mum and if someone offered to stay with me the first month, I’d jump at the chance, and of course, take care of everything they need while staying with me… after all, they would be doing me a favour and helping out. I’d feel like I owe them, if anything.’



Many believe that parents should never be charged for staying with their children, especially if they're offering help or support. They argue that it's a way of giving back to the parents who have invested so much in their children's upbringing.

Smetimes, the people closest to us are the ones who will let us down—like this mum’s story.

In other times though, support can be found from people we don’t even know.

Check out this heartwarming story of an Aussie mum who received a simple, yet pleasant surprise from a total stranger.

Key Takeaways
  • A pregnant woman named Kelly asked her mum to stay for a month after the birth to help, since her husband would be away for work.
  • The mother, who would be travelling five hours and rearranging her schedule to help, was then asked by her daughter to pay rent for her stay.
  • After refusing to pay rent on top of helping with the newborn, the mum decided to withdraw her offer to stay for a month, causing a rift between her and her daughter.
  • People largely sided with the mother, considering her daughter's demand unreasonable given the circumstances of the help offered.

What would you do if you were in the mum’s shoes? How would you address this situation? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
 
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In these days where adult children with jobs decide to return home to live because it’s cheaper I strongly feel that as they are earning a wage and have already passed into adulthood and have a job, they should pay their parents for letting them stay with them and feed them. I have no doubt that they will all scream “but we are trying to save up to buy a house “. This may be so but parents are not a bank where you can stay while you save and they spend more of their retirement income on you instead of themselves, which by getting you to this stage in life they have earned. Once you are old enough to be financially able to support yourself, you need to sort your priorities with regards to your income. You eat, you use water, heat and light so you should pay towards the bills for these expense. Getting youngsters to learn the value of money early on is essential. Pocket.money should not be exorbitant but just enough to cover any real needs and eno to encourage them to save up for something they really want. This applies to the rotating door adult kids who just seem to forget that their parents have lives of their own and should be allowed to have enough money to live those lives. Anything else is greed. The young looking for a place to start a life away from home should start small as most of us did. One bedroom and bathroom with a kitchen, room for a small table and a couch is sufficient for new young couples. Then you work your way up as the family comes along. I can’t think of any of our friends who did otherwise. None had wealthy parents to buy them a 4 bedroom house. It’s about priorities. It always has been. In our day mort rate were 17- 19% with a 20% minimum deposit. And that was for a tiny unit. So it’s never been easy, but we didn’t have to compete with hundreds of thousands of migrants as people do now. Most kids left home as soon as they got a job and suddenly Realised all the extra expenses they had never counted on. It’s a wake up call.
As to the case in question with her husband away so much, just who other than her mother would give up all their time for free, while still having to look after their own home? She should never have asked for a cent. A nanny is expensive and not there to help in the night when you are exhausted. This.mother to be is going to be in for a rude awakening when she is alone with a screaming baby and on her own. She will wish like hell had not been so mercenary!,
 
Without knowing the daughter's situation, you have been dismissive and abusive. There are laws against that these days.
If they can't pay the rent they shouldn't have the baby.. seems logical to me...
 
I was also asked to help while the husband was in the services ,, it took 3 flights and over 8 hrs flying plus time in between all at my expense,,,I was pretty much a modern day slave,,yes I could have said something but didn't want to rock the boat and the children are gorgeous,,I paid my choice of "rent" weekly plus bought groceries for the house weekly,,and being the generous person I am I bought things for the house,,,one item was hinted at several times but I didn't cave in to that one,,I would look after one child while the mother and another child went out doing her thing,,I would clean,,wash and iron ( not heard of in that house ) ,,pay for all meals / coffee when shopping,,seemed to be a thing that was done there,,the day I left,,we arrived at the airport ,,I bought breakfast / coffee,,handed over parking money,,,petrol money and money for an item to be posted back to a friend ,,aside from missing the children I was so happy to leave
 
I think the daughter could have approached the matter in a better way if she can’t afford to pay the extra expense of the mother staying there for a month. Since her husband is working and she will be entitled to paid maternity leave from her employer, assuming she has been working, plus paid maternity leave from the taxpayers I’m sure she should be able to afford to pay for her mother, after all, how much would it cost her to feed an extra person. I’m sure the mother would have paid for groceries, and if she was a typical grandmother, would pay for lots of baby stuff. With the husband away one would think there would be very little or no extra expense for the mother, or doesn’t she feed the husband when he is home?
 
Makes me wonder why the daughter is like this. Did it have something to do with her upbringing?

My kids would fight over who gets me. If one needs help then we are there. I know if I stayed with one of my kids I would be helping with cooking and cleaning and they wouldn't be expecting it. They would be so grateful .

I have two daughters already saying when it came time when we couldn't look after us that they would.

I think you get back what you put into your kids while raising them.
Although being me I would go a buy groceries if I stayed for awhile even if it was to help out
 
The husband is "working away & will be travelling when she is on maternity leave".

If he is employed by a company & not self employed, meals & accommodation would be paid for by the company. This is extra money he could send home to his wife & would adequately cover the little bit of food the MIL would consume.

Appears as though the daughter, "Wants to have her cake & eat it too".
 
The daughter should have been grateful for the help her mum would have given her. I don't blame the mother for changing her mind and not going. After all, the daughter forgets her mother brought her up from when she was born and I bet she didn't ask her to pay for all those years!
 
Paying rent is not on but contributing towards food, electricity and water should be expected. Anywhere where you stay for a month you wouldn't expect to free load but why does the daughter need help just because she is pregnant. Doesn't state if the daughter is bed ridden but either way I think both is wrong here. Mum needs to contribute and daughter needs to stop being selfish. Mum stay at home, daughter get hubby to make arrangements to get home help in and pay money for strangers instead of asking for rent from the mum.
 
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I would expect to pay my way, the daughter would not be asking if they didn't need it. If the Mother is not happy to contribute or can't afford to, then don't. The offer is there if the Daughter changes her mind, there is no reason to go to war over a few dollars.
Depends on what the amount the daughter is asking for. The mum should contribute to food, electricity and water but actual rent is a bit selfish for someone who is there to help. If the daughter can't afford to have free help from her mum then she should think twice about bringing a baby into the world.
 
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I have 2 of my children living with me and as they are adults it is only right that they share the household expenses and when it comes to food they either buy their own or pool the resources.... it is so damn simple'' Now if it is ones own home and all paid for then the only rent would a share of the rates, not a full blown rent...
 
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exactly the same. I was a 21 year old having her first baby and 2 years later having her second. Husband away working, No one was around for help, BUT guess what we didn't carry on, just got on with it. This daughter needs a lesson in civility.
 
I went away from my parents right after I graduated from high school, because I went to study in NY, my parents used to fund my life the first half a year because I was getting used to the life, college and they weren't against it even though I understood how hard it was for them, after that I found a job and already started to pay by myself for everything. At the same time I had a three years older brother who was still living at my parents house and wasn't even thinking about getting a job. My parents after looking at my career just kicked him out with some cash in his pockets. Now my brother thinks that it was the best decision that they have done, and he is very grateful that they finally decided to not bear him anymore.
 
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I find it hard to comprehend some of the responses to this article. Look at the facts:
Daughter asks mum for help.
Mum is prepared to drop everything to go to her aid.
Daughter thanks mum and says "But you'll need to pay rent to be here"
Mum says "Forget it!"
...and there are people siding with the daughter...
SMH 😲
 
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The daughter should have been grateful for the help her mum would have given her. I don't blame the mother for changing her mind and not going. After all, the daughter forgets her mother brought her up from when she was born and I bet she didn't ask her to pay for all those years!
Reminds me of the piece where a little 5 y.o. boy gives his mother a list of things he had done for her & the cost for doing these chores.

Mum reads aloud through the list & starts to make her own list stating things done for him in his lifetime such as, "carrying you for 9 months, no charge". The list goes on & on until mum writes, "the total cost of my love is no charge".

The boy then takes the note & writes across it, "paid in full".

Simple little verse but with so much truth. Mums do those things & ask nothing in return.

That daughter would do well to be made aware of this piece, l believe.
 
Reminds me of the piece where a little 5 y.o. boy gives his mother a list of things he had done for her & the cost for doing these chores.

Mum reads aloud through the list & starts to make her own list stating things done for him in his lifetime such as, "carrying you for 9 months, no charge". The list goes on & on until mum writes, "the total cost of my love is no charge".

The boy then takes the note & writes across it, "paid in full".

Simple little verse but with so much truth. Mums do those things & ask nothing in return.

That daughter would do well to be made aware of this piece, l believe.
Very true!
 
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