We worked hard, asked for nothing…now they demand our retirement money

A mother thought she had done everything right—working multiple jobs and giving up luxuries to raise her daughter alone.

Now, just as she prepares to enjoy a well-earned retirement, her child has accused her of being ‘selfish’.

The heartbreak isn’t just in the words—it’s in the silence that followed.


After decades of sacrifice, a 55-year-old mother said she hoped to finally rest and enjoy the life she had put on hold.

She had raised her now 26-year-old daughter mostly on her own, doing everything possible to give her a solid start.

‘I worked multiple jobs, sacrificed vacations and skipped luxuries to give my daughter a decent life,’ the woman explained.


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Mum defends retirement plans after sacrifice. Image source: Pexels/RDNE Stock project
Disclaimer: This is a stock image used for illustrative purposes only and does not depict the actual person, item, or event described.


‘She had everything she needed growing up in private school, a used car at 18, even partial support through college. I never asked for much in return, just for her to be responsible and independent.’

But when the mother revealed her retirement plans—built over ten years of careful saving—the reaction wasn’t what she expected.

Her daughter believed that money should go to her instead.

‘Her response? “You should use that money to help me get a house,”’ the woman shared in a post to social media.


The mother stood her ground.

‘I told her kindly, but firmly I have already done my job as a parent. I’m not rich. I just planned well,’ she said.

‘Honestly, I deserve some peace… I’m the one who went through hell to raise her with stability.’

But the daughter didn’t take it well.

‘She snapped and said, “So you're just going to be selfish now? After everything I went through growing up?”’ the woman revealed.

Support flooded in from commenters who sided with the mother.

‘Don’t fall for it. She’s trying to guilt trip you into using the money for,’ one person warned.


Another added: ‘She’s playing a game and it ain’t a fair one.’

‘Your daughter is ungrateful and entitled. That’s likely because she hasn’t had to go without, as mum has always gone without to step in. We single mums don’t know when to stop… but this is time now,’ a third person commented.

Despite the firm stance, the fallout has been painful.

‘She’s been giving me the cold shoulder and telling other relatives that I’m “hoarding money” while she struggles to pay rent,’ the mother explained.

‘I sacrificed so much to give her a good start, not to fund her entire adulthood. I deserve to rest too.’

If you've ever felt torn between helping your children and protecting your future, you're not alone.

Stories like this are becoming more common, where parents feel pressured to prioritise their children's wants over their own financial security.

One family drama even erupted over an inheritance that hadn’t yet been passed on—sparking a painful clash over money and entitlement.

Read more: ‘It’s my inheritance!’: What happens when adult kids feel entitled to your money

Key Takeaways
  • A single mum said she gave up everything to raise her daughter alone.
  • She shared that she had been saving for early retirement and travel.
  • Her daughter demanded she use the savings to help buy a house.
  • The mother stood firm, receiving support online but now faces family tension.

Is it selfish for parents to enjoy their retirement if their adult children are still struggling?
 

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We reap what we sow I am afraid, so many children today feel entitled, they use their parents and say well they are my parent they should help me/give me...............kids don't want to work these days and I don't mean all of them, we see so many businesses closing their doors because they cannot get staff to work as these young people think it's below them, they have a few hard lessons to learn I am afraid, so do we all, when the financial handouts from the governments in dole/pensions payments etc run higher than what the country makes I think it's called a depression is it not? and we parents are partly to blame for sheltering our kids from the hardships we went through instead of toughening them up to have work ethics by working whatever they can get to get whatever they want. Think I am joking? when enlisted people don't like being yelled at on the parade grounds boohoo then we are in trouble.
 
Absolutely disgraceful behaviour from the daughter. Stick to your guns and retire gracefully as you deserve. Do not give in to her, even if she decides to continue with the cold shoulder. She is the one who will be missing out on her most important influential person who stood by and supported her throughout her life. Think of the sacrifices you had to make raising her as a single mum. It's your turn now to enjoy life as you want...with or without her. Your are not the "bank of mum".
 
I am retired and my daughter was renting.

She has not asked me to give her anything even though I have helped her with cash throughout the years She has rented for years and hasn’t really anything that she owns except for a 10 year old car.

She has moved into my house at the moment due to high rent.

I am hoping to arrange for a financial advisor to talk to her and maybe help her and encourage her to save and buy a small place. Hopefully she will become independant.
 
What an entitled selfish B***h , you really gave up your life , to give her more than necessary, you are entitled to enjoy 😊 your retirement, don’t let her pressure you , if she wants to cold shoulder you , so be it just stand your ground it’s your life , so go out and enjoy what you have planned. Good luck .
 
No it is not selfish for parents to enjoy there retirement they have worked all there lives to bring up there children and now should be there golden years to enjoy themselves but don’t leave it too late to retire because I know people who retire and never get to enjoy it.
 
I am retired and my daughter was renting.

She has not asked me to give her anything even though I have helped her with cash throughout the years She has rented for years and hasn’t really anything that she owns except for a 10 year old car.

She has moved into my house at the moment due to high rent.

I am hoping to arrange for a financial advisor to talk to her and maybe help her and encourage her to save and buy a small place. Hopefully she will become independant.
I hope you are charging your daughter board - at least to cover the expenses including 1/2 of all accounts including rates & taxes. She is using water, electricity etc. + you have more "wear & tear" on your property. Some replacements will be needed sooner than if it was only you living there
 
I think the mum is somehow the problem 🤔 Maybe she actually gave her too much growing up .
There should have been a balance.

The daughter sounds very spoilt and selfish.

I've always given my kids what they need and not necessarily what they want.

I always set chores which they earned pocket money.

My eldest two sons are like chalk n cheese. My eldest son always saved money whereas his younger brother and child no 3 always spent everything he had.
My eldest son now owns his house, a boat , two cars plus a Harley Davison. His brother has nothing except a car he is paying off.

Most of my kids were working weekends at McDonald's and sometimes after school from the age of 14 / 15 .

Most now have or are paying off a house.

Our rule has always been that we would never go guarantor for a loan including a homeloan. With 13 kids we always say what we do for one we have to do for others.

You need to teach your kids from a young age that money doesn't grow on trees.

A very close friend of ours has only one child who is married with one child. She also thinks its her parents responsibility to help her with her house.
 
I am retired and my daughter was renting.

She has not asked me to give her anything even though I have helped her with cash throughout the years She has rented for years and hasn’t really anything that she owns except for a 10 year old car.

She has moved into my house at the moment due to high rent.

I am hoping to arrange for a financial advisor to talk to her and maybe help her and encourage her to save and buy a small place. Hopefully she will become independant.
Why would she do that? she is on a good thing NOW,... why change..".hopefully "does not apply
 
It is amazing how some children feel entitled to their parents' money. It is very costly to bring up a child. I paid for my niece's education in Thailand for 24 years because my selfish brother did not pay for anything. It cost me a lot of money over the 24 years. I would not like it if she asked me for money etc now. She has to manage on her own now.

Ursula Konig
 
I think the mum is somehow the problem 🤔 Maybe she actually gave her too much growing up .
There should have been a balance.

The daughter sounds very spoilt and selfish.

I've always given my kids what they need and not necessarily what they want.

I always set chores which they earned pocket money.

My eldest two sons are like chalk n cheese. My eldest son always saved money whereas his younger brother and child no 3 always spent everything he had.
My eldest son now owns his house, a boat , two cars plus a Harley Davison. His brother has nothing except a car he is paying off.

Most of my kids were working weekends at McDonald's and sometimes after school from the age of 14 / 15 .

Most now have or are paying off a house.

Our rule has always been that we would never go guarantor for a loan including a homeloan. With 13 kids we always say what we do for one we have to do for others.

You need to teach your kids from a young age that money doesn't grow on trees.

A very close friend of ours has only one child who is married with one child. She also thinks its her parents responsibility to help her with her house.
I agree with you Suzanne Rose.

I think the mum gave her too much, & now the daughter still expects everything.

We only had the one child, who is now 37, & she never went without the basic necessities.

Because of my horrid childhood, I wanted her to have what I never had, so I always gave her extras. Hubby was the one who reigned in the ropes & kept everything within range.

Our daughter has grown up to be very wise with her money……even more wiser now that she is married.

We are so very proud of her as she certainly appreciates everything we do now to help her.

Our problem now is spending money on our 2 Grandchildren😉🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗
 

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