'Now you know to keep a dollar in your pocket and keep some bills paid...'
An anonymous individual (u/alway5bci051ng) grew up resentful of their parents for making them pay bills, including rent, ever since they turned 18. However, after graduation, the parents finally confessed the secret they had harbored for years, leaving the child in shock. In July 2025, the author shared the heartfelt story — now hailed as a raw depiction of real parenting by the netizens.
"When I turned 18, my parents made me take on financial responsibilities such as paying my share of the bills (cell phone, car insurance, etc.) and rent for living in their home when I wasn’t living in my college dorm," the author recalled. They failed to understand why their parents would want them to struggle financially, especially when they already knew that their child wasn't making much money. However, everything changed after the author completed their graduation. "They took me out to dinner and presented me with a substantial-sized check," they recalled. When the author asked about it, their parents confessed they had been saving all the money they had been collecting from their child for 8 years.
When I turned 18 my parents made me take on financial responsibilities
by u/Alway5BCl051ng in randomactsofkindness
"This check was all the money I had paid to them over the past 8 years, PLUS an equal match from them! They said they always intended to save this money and return it to me to help me as I prepared for my anesthesiology residency," the author wrote. They had been extremely close to their parents, and even though the author was always frustrated about paying bills, they had never let that frustration out. "To this day, I still can’t believe they did this for me, in addition to paying for my undergraduate and medical degrees. This was a very unexpected act of kindness, and I appreciated it so much!" they wrote. Empowering children with financial duties may look overwhelming, but in the long run, it fosters accountability, financial literacy, and self-efficacy.
In fact, when Redfield & Wilton Strategies conducted a poll for Newsweek and asked over 1000 Americans about parents charging their adult kids rent, nearly 60% said they should pay even if their families don't need the money. Meanwhile, reacting to the Reddit story, u/justa-guy-94u commented, "Good for your parents. Now you know to keep a dollar in your pocket and keep some bills paid. Good for your parents for going with the old-school tactics and raising a nice adult that knows if they don't pay the bills, they're going to get kicked the f*** out on their head with no cell phone and no apartment. Good for your parents. Now you can teach your kids the same, just maybe take a different route. Good job, parents."
Similarly, another user, who goes by u/j1muny, shared, "Our son was also annoyed that he had to pay rent starting with his first part-time job. However, when it came time to move out, we told him that we would be furnishing his apartment. For that, he was grateful. However, when he invited us over for the first dinner at his new place, he thanked us, and then we told him that we had saved his money and that he had paid for all his furnishings. He also had about $3k remaining, for which we presented him with a check. We are so glad we did that, as he definitely learned to save his money and appreciate the value of things. The difference between him and his friends at the age of 30+ is that he is more mature in his thinking."