Do you remember as a child you used to get pocket money? You used to save up the money to buy your favourite comic book or chocolates. But, can you imagine shelling out small amounts from your pocket money for rent and bills? Well, a mother of three children has sparked debate online after she began to charge her six, eight and nine-year-olds for rent and utilities. As shocking as it may seem to you, she claims to have a valid reason. Generally, six, eight and nine-year-olds do not have to pay rent. But in Samantha Bird’s household, she collects rent from her little tenants. As per her TikTok video, the mother of three gives each child $6 (Rs 500). Then, at the end of each month, the boys owe their mother $1 (Rs 83.44) for rent, $1 for utilities and $1 for groceries. They track their budget on a tracker and keep a check on their spending.
Samantha Bird explained that she wants to introduce her sons to bills and expenses at a young age as the home is a safe environment for the young ones to learn about these things instead of struggling to figure it out once they grow up. She also increases their allowance to help them pay “mock bills”. She assures that doing this from a young age will instil a sense of responsibility among them and help them be able to manage expenses. She also clarified in a separate video that the whole paying up is “lighthearted and fun” for them.
Samantha Bird wants her sons to understand financial self-control and be able to manage expenses. Also, the money she collects from them goes into their individual savings accounts.
Her video received mixed reactions from the internet, with one claiming it to be a “smart concept”, while others are bewildered that she collects money from her boys at such a young age. As per reports, many lauded the mother and her idea. One also wrote that they felt ridiculous, but then realised they wished they had learned it early in life too.
But the other section of the internet pointed out that the children were in elementary school and they should be living a stress-free life and not worry about paying rent.
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