“Good Luck With That”: Parents Try To Ground 20 Y.O. Business Owner Who Pays Them Rent
Twenty is a wonderful age, just agree. At the age of 20, Alexander the Great conquered a third of the ancient world, Albert Einstein published his first scientific work, Steve Jobs founded Apple, Serena Williams was universally recognized as the best tennis player in the world… and today’s hero in this story got grounded by their parents.
Well, how to put this, the parents tried to ground them because of being ‘disrespectful’ and despite the fact that by the age of 20, the company founded by the author, the user u/AggravatingBat314, brought them $60K/year. Perhaps this story is worth understanding in detail…
More info: Reddit
The author of the post is a 20YO living with their parents while being in their final year of college
Image credits: Spacejoy (not the actual photo)
However, the parents were charging them rent for the last 4 years – ever since the company became profitable
Image credits: u/AggravatingBat314
The parents demanded the author attend all family activities – but they have another opinion
Image credits: Igal Ness (not the actual photo)
Image credits: u/AggravatingBat314
Recently, the youngster flew to Mexico with friends instead of attending an Easter get-together with relatives, and the parents got mad
Image credits: wassim mechergui (not the actual photo)
Image credits: u/AggravatingBat314
They attempted to ‘ground’ them but when told “good luck with that,” they took offense and dubbed the author ‘disrespectful’
So, meet the Original Poster (OP), a 20 Y.O., who is in their senior year of college, and lives at home with their parents. However, the main reason, in the author’s own words, is low rent. Yes, that’s right – their parents have been charging them for accommodation for four years, right from the moment they founded their company.
Four years ago, the OP, with financial help from their grandparents, founded a company that first engaged in dropshipping and then switched to direct interaction with Chinese manufacturing companies. Moreover, next year, the author’s company will be bought by a large corporation and the owner is already guaranteed a job there.
From the very first year when the company became profitable, the parents hinted to the OP that it was time to pay the rent themselves. Well, all said and done, the author has since invariably paid all their bills. They also have a scholarship in university, so their parents actually don’t help them with anything in their adult life. Unless they are offended when they do not take part in family activities.
For example, this Easter, the OP’s parents planned a big family get-together, but the author refused to attend – simply because they had already joined their classmates on a vacation to Mexico. It was their last year in college, so they wanted to spend time together. That’s what happened – but the parents got absolutely mad about it.
Moreover, they stated that the OP is grounded from now on, to which they just laughed in their faces and said, “Good luck with that!” Now the parents dub them ‘disrespectful’ and ‘rude,’ and even tried to win over the grandpa. However, the old gentleman flip-flopped over this, having learned that for 4 years now the author has actually been their parents’ tenant.
In any case, the drama was resolved by the author renting an Airbnb in anticipation of a deal to sell their company (the agreement implies owner relocation). The parents are trying to get through to them, but the OP simply avoids them so that there are no unnecessary reasons for unpleasant conversations.
Image credits: Alice Donovan Rouse (not the actual photo)
Well, being young is actually a great time for founding a startup (especially when you have grandparents ready to help with the initial capital). So, according to data by Harvard Business Review, around 15% of all startup founders in the USA are 29 and under (among the highest-growing startup founders, this figure is slightly less – about 10%).
Moreover, investors are often truly captivated by the energy and enthusiasm emanating from young people. “The cutoff in investors’ heads is 32,” the NY Times quotes Paul Graham, the cofounder of Y Combinator. “After 32, they start to be a little skeptical.” So we can only congratulate the original poster on the successful start of their journey in business. But what about their parents?
Some commenters under the original post do believe that the parents are showing double standards towards the author. “They’re trying to have it both ways,” one of the commenters sincerely wrote. “Treat you like an adult when it comes to money, and like a child when it suits them. Just tell them they don’t get to make you pay for your life and control it at the same time.”
People in the comments also believe that trying to use the grandfather’s authority to mentally pressure the OP also says a lot about the parents. “The fact they hid [the fact they get rent] from grandpa but wanted to call him to scold you? That tells me they have some of their own faults they don’t want to admit to. That tells me this is 99% on them,” another person concluded.
And, of course, commenters are really happy for the OP’s business success and wish them good luck in the future – in particular, with regard to defending their independence. “You’re an adult, paying rent, with a job,” someone added. “Good move on renting an airbnb and I wish you success in your endeavors.” And do you, our readers, agree with these opinions?
People in the comments praised the author, both for their business success and for sticking by their personal boundaries
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It’s always a great idea to establish transactional relationships with your children. Especially in their teen years. Even more so when they’re rather self-reliant & ready to graduate university at 20,, with a job lined up. By establishing such a relationship, you can almost guarantee they’ll, indeed, treat their relationship with you transactionally. Maybe they’ll be rather fiscally responsibly when it comes to the transaction of shoving your old, feeble body into a nursing home far, far away and only come visit you once a year or so. Superb parenting! /s
Charging rent (or board depending on where you're from) is not unusual. Based on the story he finished school by 16 so it's not that strange. I know multiple people who were charged a token amount at 16 because they'd finished school and started working but didn't move out of the family home. The usual thing is that some of the money might go to household costs but most of it tends to get put aside and is "gifted" back to the kid when they move out. It's a nice surprise to suddenly be given $5 or $10 grand when you're looking to get a place of your own. So NO charging rent/board isn't a bad thing in and of itself. The only bad thing in the story is their attitude towards their NOW adult child. Can't treat a 20 year old who is financially independent like a young teen and expect them to tow the line.
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I came home on leave from the Air Force. Mummsy tried to "force me" to come help in her classroom. Nope, I'm on vacation. Cue screaming rant... we paid for your college. Nope, the AFROTC scholarship did. Rant... we paid room & board. Fine, lets set up a payment plan to return that money. Pikachu face!
I love all these idiot parents saying "we paid your room and board"! No idiot you did your job as a PARENT!!! If you didn't want to pay then you shouldn't have had kids.
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Yes, it's really impressive for anyone but especially impressive for someone his age.
Load More Replies... It’s always a great idea to establish transactional relationships with your children. Especially in their teen years. Even more so when they’re rather self-reliant & ready to graduate university at 20,, with a job lined up. By establishing such a relationship, you can almost guarantee they’ll, indeed, treat their relationship with you transactionally. Maybe they’ll be rather fiscally responsibly when it comes to the transaction of shoving your old, feeble body into a nursing home far, far away and only come visit you once a year or so. Superb parenting! /s
Charging rent (or board depending on where you're from) is not unusual. Based on the story he finished school by 16 so it's not that strange. I know multiple people who were charged a token amount at 16 because they'd finished school and started working but didn't move out of the family home. The usual thing is that some of the money might go to household costs but most of it tends to get put aside and is "gifted" back to the kid when they move out. It's a nice surprise to suddenly be given $5 or $10 grand when you're looking to get a place of your own. So NO charging rent/board isn't a bad thing in and of itself. The only bad thing in the story is their attitude towards their NOW adult child. Can't treat a 20 year old who is financially independent like a young teen and expect them to tow the line.
Load More Replies... I came home on leave from the Air Force. Mummsy tried to "force me" to come help in her classroom. Nope, I'm on vacation. Cue screaming rant... we paid for your college. Nope, the AFROTC scholarship did. Rant... we paid room & board. Fine, lets set up a payment plan to return that money. Pikachu face!
I love all these idiot parents saying "we paid your room and board"! No idiot you did your job as a PARENT!!! If you didn't want to pay then you shouldn't have had kids.
Load More Replies... Yes, it's really impressive for anyone but especially impressive for someone his age.
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