Do you charge your 17 yr old to stay at home?

Question

Hearing from some other parents, they are! I haven't been. She is still in full time education but brings home about £400 ($800) a month which she works hard for.

Should I take a percentage or just lt her keep it?

Answer 1

As long as she is respectful and in school and working to make a great life for herself as a adult then I say no. However if that changes , like no school no respect and no job well then its time to get some $$$ outta her.

Answer 2

As parents we lost everything to defend our son and have never been able to get back on the ladder however when he is 16 in 10mths we will be working together and he will save his earnings to open a cafe during that time he wil pay nothing however I know he will contribute maye not cash as such but in other ways to household issues so I would never ask him......... Money for us has never been an issue as in we just dont care about it lol......

Answer 3

If she is in full time education then I would let her keep it but a good idea is maybe to take say £15 a week from her and save it for her that way she could have a little nest egg for when she leaves home or needs something. I would say that given what she earns I wouldnt give here pocket money or buy her clothes or pay her expenses

Answer 4

I'm in the US, I didn't have my boys, 3 of them, pay any type of rent until they were done with school and working. That was when they decided it was best to be out on there on. I love them all, but I'm glad their making their own way now. And they tell me now, it was the right thing to do.

Answer 5

No way.  At 17, they are still young and need their parents guidance.  It could be dangerous to send a teenager out into the real world.  I lived at home until I was 22 and my parents never imagined doing such a thing.  I'm 27 now and could move back in with them right now and would not be charged a cent.  Parents just dont do that!

Answer 6

I think it's ridiculous to charge your child for rent while she is still in full-time education UNLESS the family is otherwise struggling. However, it is not uncommon for many families to charge a nominal amount to cover groceries and added utilities once the child is legally an adult.

Answer 7

I think the best thing is to not make your children pay rent, as long as we were going to school full time.  That was rather motivating.. If they are out of school, or only going to college part time, you can charge them a small amount for rent (so its much cheaper than getting their own place) and funnel that rent money into a savings account for their college bills.

Answer 8

Let her keep it. Depending on reliability on what she would spend it on and if she needs the money but let make her put away a percentage in to the bank.  But not till she is maybe 19 to start charge but DEFINETLY not now. To young. Besides, what would you do with that room if she does move out? Charging her would pressure her to move out. Don't you like her keeping you company.

Answer 9

My parents started charging me when I was 19 and had my first full-time job - which I find very normal! I wouldn't start charging your daughter until she's out of education. But in the meantime, you of course don't do her laundry, her ironing, her cleaning and so on ;-) !

Answer 10

If she's still in full time education , then no but seeing as she has a reasonable disposable income , then you should tell her that she has to provide new clothing, shoes ,makeup and also pay towards any overheads the household may accrue  IE  telephone or Internet , best to work out a percentage

Answer 11

If she's working hard I dont think you should, maybe you should only charge her a little or ask her to help out a bit if your strugling some time.

But Im sure she doesnt spend all that money, and she's saving it for the things she needs, and for her future and treating herself from time to time. :)

Answer 12

u take care of her 4 17 years so If need be I don't see the harm in asking her 2 maybe help out a little when she can.  I don't  really know what 2 say I know she work 4 it but by having 2 pay a little rent or maybe a bill u will be helping her out 2 so she can see what its like 2 give all your money away each month. sorry no more hope that helps a little

Answer 13

Wow, some people are just flat out disgusting! Your kids aren't mean to pay your bills!! Period. Once they are 18...and out of highschool, then you are no longer legally responsible for them. Prior to that....if they have a job and need a box of tampons that is the PARENTS responsibility! Whatever money they earn is THEIR money, no one elses. After 18, I see it as resonable to charge 25% of their earnings, and put that into an account for them matching 25% of your own money. That will ensure they have more than enough to get basic needs and able to get into a rental.

I am absolutely shocked and disgusted ANYONE would be charging their underage kids. The parent is the one that layed down and got pregnant, it is their responsibility to support them. If "bills" (as a lot said to take the money for) are a problem, it is the PARENTS job to get a second job! Not use their kids, because they can't afford their bills. Thats just pathetic someone would live like that. Uggghhh....gag me.

Parents should encourage financial responsibility, and teach how to save money....not s***w the kid on their pay, for the parents own benefit.

Answer 14

this is something to think about, will you feel sad or hurt when he/she leaves home to get their own place? many parents do this is called the empty nest syndrome. If you are going to be sad when they leave then dont push him/her away. charging rent to stay home is ridiculous but i was raised in a family who encouraged us to stay to save money. i would never think about charging my child to stay at home, h**l i hope he never leaves.

Answer 15

That is psychotic.  She is in school full time and you're going to charge her to live in your house?  You don't think it's hard enough for her already, going to school and working, huh?  Wow.  Well, what the heck, why not charge her rent and make her do chores during the night instead of wasting time "sleeping."

Answer 16

Charging a 17 yr old to live in their parent's home is wrong.   I do think that at that age they should be buying all their own personal items, toiletries and clothes.  Kids should be taught to be independent and should eventually move out.  I think that a kid who has a job and being responsible at the age of 17 is a good start to being a good citizen.  If your child offers to help out with some bills and if you need it then that might be a good idea, but I wouldn't expect it.

Answer 17

I don't think kids in high school should pay to live at home. I think once they graduate it's reasonable after that summer if they do not move out or go to college/university.

I do think, however, she can pay for her own clothes and gas and accessories and all that.

Answer 18

Well, my mum isn't chargin me at the minute for living at home, but once I start university I'm going to have to start giving money for living costs! just wait til she turns 18 and out of school, that way she's just another adult and needs to pay for living like every other adult

Answer 19

My daughter has just turned 16 and we have told her that for as long as she stays in full time education then she can live with us rent free regardless of how much she earns. If she chooses just to get a Saturday job that's fine - if she chooses to work most evenings and earn plenty that's fine too but as soon as she gets a full time job she will be paying a percentage to us.

I think that you do not do your kids any favours by giving them a free ride you have to start them getting used to the way things are in the real world and you don't get anything for nothing. Having said that if they are working hard at school and are still prepared to work hard out of it and keep up with all their studies then I'm not going to take money from them.

Answer 20

Legally, 18 is the age to start charging them... and really unless you are dying for the help Id let her save it so she can get herself a car and have nice things. Just my opinion.

Answer 21

no im 16 im not married but im no vergina and i have kids....jokin umm but my friends parents do that to him (hes 18) just to give him a heads up on the adult life. o and the money that he gives em. he gets it back after 3 months.

Answer 22

You could take like 50%  and put into a saving acct for her. So that she is saving soemthing for a house or a new car. I would not even tell her. I would let her think that she is just paying you. This is what my mom did and she gave it back to me when i bought my 1st house as a present. Good Luck

Answer 23

If she is in full time education she is doing something good, and not just living with you just because it's easy.

I say that as long as she is in full time education allow her to keep her money.

Answer 24

I say tell her once she is 18 she has to pay $100 a month.  It isnt a lot but it will help her understand paying bills and help her get ready for the real world.

Remember she is going to school it is not like she is just staying home and playing video games and is going to be working a dead end job the rest of her life.

Answer 25

No, I wouldn't. However, where your daughter is earning good money, it may be time to have her buy her own personal items, such as deodorant. She could also purchase her own clothes, unless that is still well within your budget. My mom always had a ceretain amount set aside for clothes for us, if we wanted anything above and beyond, we haad to buy it ourselves. I do believe that an adult child age 18+ can be expected to contribute to the household.

Answer 26

Not if she is still in school.

£400 a month isn't an awful lot of money - especially if she is saving some for university.  However, you shouldn't be expected to 'sub her' now she is near enough an adult.  She should be paying for her own nights out, make-up, clothes etc.

If she is living at home once in full time work then yes, she should pay her way.

Answer 27

I believe that young adults  should pay a small amount for staying home after highschool. I have witnessed MANY adults who stayed at home  with out paying  and  the end result was that they did not do anything but abuse the privilege. Letting young adults stay at home with out having any obligations to the household  can breed irresponsibility.  If you dont have rent or bills to pay then what is the point of keeping a job.What ever the parent receives can be put into an account and when the parents grows tired of the kid/ADULT the security money for an apartment is there

Answer 28

As she is in full time education I would say not.  However, the moment, I started working my parents charged me for board and food - it seems hard but I think it teaches the value of money to young adults.

Answer 29

I think, until she is legally an adult, you shouldn't charge her rent, or anything like that.  How much money you allow her to keep should be based on how much she buys of her own.  If she buys all  her own clothes, gas, etc, she's gonna need a lot, if not all of what she makes.

Answer 30

Once she is out of school then I would, but at the moment she is still in full time education so that's really fair, especially as presumably the £400 a month is being saved for university/ car etc.

Answer 31

I charged both of my children when they were earning a wage.  The reason I gave was that in life we all have to pay and learn to budget, the sooner we do this the better for us.  Nothing worse than getting something for free, then having to pay for it.  It gives us a sense of worthiness when we have paid our own way, no matter how small.  What I did with the money was to put it into a high interest account and when they were ready to buy their own home, I gave it to them.  My son had collected £20,000 a really great bonus when added to his and his girlfriends savings, they immediately started on a lower repayment rate on their mortgage.