A frustrated father recently took to Reddit to ask for opinions on his plans to cut off his son if the boy doesn’t go to school or get a job when he turns 18. Here is the full story.
Get a Job or Move Out
OP is a father of three children, ages 17, 15, and 10. The middle child is a daughter, while the bookends are sons.
OP comes from a wealthy family, and both he and his wife have good jobs. They have saved enough money for all three of their children to attend college.
But OP is frustrated with his oldest son , who has shown no intention of pursuing any plans after high school, leading his father to give the boy an ultimatum.
When he turns 18, OP’s son has to go to college, get a job, or move out of the house.
His Parents Gave Him the Same Ultimatum
Drawing from his own experience, OP explains how his parents gave him a similar ultimatum, leading him on an adventure.
He had sailed around the world for two years, but he worked hard all along the way to make money for himself.
Despite their family’s financial stability, OP believes it’s important for their children to take responsibility for themselves and make their own choices in life.
OP’s wife disagrees with his approach, considering it unfair to expect their son to navigate the world at such a young age. She says they have the means to let him take some time.
They Have Other Kids Too
But OP argues that they have other children to consider, too. The middle child is on track for both an academic and golf scholarship, which means she might be able to pocket the college money her parents have saved.
OP’s youngest son is just 10 years old, so it’s too early to tell what his future will look like. But he knows the family’s rules, too.
OP emphasizes that he and his wife have been open and transparent about their expectations from the beginning. They even agreed to raise productive members of society before they ever got engaged.
But now, their oldest son shows no interest in anything beyond his computer, rejecting multiple opportunities OP has given him to do something else.
The Grandparents Are Also Sticking To Their Guns
And, even though OP’s parents love all their grandchildren, they’re sticking to their guns, too. They’ve already told the oldest son that they won’t give him any money if he’s not in college working toward a career.
The situation is causing a lot of tension in the family, and particularly between OP and his wife. She is angry and scared for her child because she doesn’t know if he’s ready to handle the world on his own.
OP’s wife has threatened to use her salary to support their oldest son, which is frustrating to OP. He knows he has no say in how his wife spends her money, but her plan would short circuit his parenting.
In the end, OP acknowledges that he probably won’t actually kick his son out of the house. But he will cut the family food budget and start charging the boy for utilities.
Are His Expectations Clear?
If OP’s wife uses her salary to pay for those expenses, it will only cause more tension between the couple.
Most Reddit commenters think that OP is right for expecting his son to do something with his life. Many are fine with the ultimatum he presents, too.
But some think OP’s expectations are not clear enough, and that he should help his son better understand all his options.
Others suggest that there will never be a good resolution as long as OP and his wife approach their son’s future from different angles.
So, what do you think of this story? Is OP right for demanding that his son do something productive with his life?
Or is he pushing too hard, too soon? Should he try to work out a compromise with his wife, or should he just let the battle play out?
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The post He’s Going to Kick His Son Out of the House When He Turns 18 but His Wife Has Other Plans first appeared on The Net Worth Of.
Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / Andrii Iemelianenko. The people shown in the images are for illustrative purposes only, not the actual people featured in the story.
Source: Reddit