Son Calls Out His Mom For Only Giving Stimulus Money To Her Daughter
It's not always easy to explain to our children the reasoning behind some of our decisions. While parents try to make all their children feel like they're being treated equally, sometimes the decisions that don't apply to all of them can come off seeming unfair.
This mom's son couldn't understand why she'd decide to give her stimulus money to her daughter only. She felt like she had her reasons...
This Is What Happened
A mom received her stimulus money, which she says was only for her 21-year-old daughter and herself. Although she and her husband shared equal custody of their son too, it was his dad that claimed him so that they each had a dependent to claim.
Each parent was free to do what they wanted with the money they got back.
The Son Overheard The Conversation
The mom decided to give her stimulus check back to her daughter. Her 15-year-old son happened to overhear the conversation.
He asked if he was being given a portion of the stimulus too. His mom told him no, and the stimulus was going primarily to bills.
The Mom Was Accused Of Favoritism
The son got very upset when he found out he wasn't receiving anything. He thought the decision was unfair and preferential to his sister.
This came as a surprise to the mother, as she felt as though her decision was justified by the differing situation of her kids.
The Kids Have Different Situations
The mom explained that she made the decision because her two kids don't have the same situation.
For starters, the daughter is older than her son. She shared that her daughter is in need of the money for her education, as she is getting her own place next year and has a final year of tuition to pay. "I gave her the $1400 I received for her being my dependent, which she agreed to put in her school savings," she explained in her Reddit post.
Asking The Community for Advice
Naturally, the parent felt conflicted as she didn't want to make any of her children feel like they weren't getting equal treatment.
She decided to post her story online to see whether the people of the internet thought this was preferential treatment, or whether she was justified in her thinking.
The Mom Argues The Money Belonged To Her Daughter All Along
To support her decision, the mom wanted to highlight that she didn't think this portion of the stimulus money belonged to her anyway:
"I honestly don't think of it as my money, as she will likely no longer be my dependent in 2022 (this year's taxes). So I feel like it's her money."
The Son Wasn't Getting The Same Thing From His Dad
From the son's perspective, he wasn't being given the same treatment from his dad, despite his clad claiming him as a dependent too and getting the same amount of money.
The difference is that the young man truly is still a dependent minor living at home and not yet in need of the money.
The Son Won't Speak To His Mother
Despite the mother's attempt to explain the difference, she says that "He still thinks I'm being unfair, preferential, and hasn't talked to me all night."
The son is even more upset because his dad won't even consider giving him any of the money.
People Suggested She Flip The Situation Around
Commentators agreed that the son's move is unfair, as the situation between the siblings is different. To make him understand this, they suggested they present him with the same situation as the daughter.
This means rhetorically suggesting to give him the stimulus if he also moves out the following year and covers his own expenses.
Some Say He Should Be Upset With The Dad Instead
Since the dad is the one withholding the son's portion of the stimulus, some felt like he's the one the son should be taking his issue with.
That way, the dad could hopefully explain that he's putting the money towards the son anyway.
It's An Opportunity For A Great Lesson For A Teenager
Parents related to this reaction as typical teen behavior. One person points out that "to the son, all he can comprehend is 'Sister got money and I didn't.'"
They suggested laying out to the son why sometimes people don't get everything they ask for, as some are more in need of it. Even when they're siblings.
It Could Also Be A Lesson On Finances
Commenters also pointed out that this is a great opportunity to teach the son about adult management of finances to prepare him for the future.
This would mean explaining how money is divided between grocery bills, housing, utilities, entertainment, etc.
The Consensus Was That Mom Was In The Right
All in all, most people online found that the mom wasn't in the wrong. The consensus was that bills aren't a fun subject on any level, but the son simply needed to understand further why his sister was the only one getting the money.
Do you agree?
