High School Graduate Doesn’t Get A Gift From Her Parents To Celebrate — Instead She’s Forced To Start Paying Bills At Their Home
She feels like it’s impossible to build a foundation to leave, while being responsible for bills at home.
Drazen Zigic / Shutterstock.com For the first time since the Great Depression, the majority of young adults in the United States are living with their parents, unable to afford the rising costs of living and rent.
In a similar situation, Trinity Johnson, a recent high school graduate, took to TikTok to share that her celebratory graduation gift from her family was far from exciting. Her parents were forcing her to immediately contribute to household expenses.
A high school student said her graduation gift from her parents was the privilege of contributing to household bills.
Rising costs and inflation mean families with adult children living at home have no choice but to ask for contributions, even if they are recent high school grads just getting a foothold in the real world.
Despite that, Johnson couldn't help but feel resentment toward her parents for forcing her to pay bills while working hard to save money for a new car and college.
“Other kids are getting gifts at graduation,” she wrote in text over a recent post, showing her mother’s request for a bill payment, “and my mom is sending me this message.”
Living with her parents, working, and going to college, she’s been desperately trying to save money. However, with these new bills, it’s difficult.
“Just remember that you are out of school, and the electric bill is due June 5th for $150, so that starts again because you are a contributing adult in this house,” her mom’s text read.
Inside Creative House / Shutterstock.com
While her TikTok showed a new car as “other people’s” graduation gifts, what many young adults are simply looking for is the freedom and luxury to save — giving them a space to build a foundation to successfully leave the house.
“Parents think tough love is key to responsibility,” one person wrote in the comments, “but it really just creates resentment and hyper-independence.”
Commenters were doubtful about the health of their familial bond, especially in the future. Sometimes, even if they’re asking for financial contributions out of necessity, money inevitably strains a relationship.
Especially in our economy, some parents have no option other than to request contributions from their adult children.
“I have a job. I’m saving up for a car that works. I have to pay my own college tuition, I buy my own necessities, and I contribute to my parent’s household with chores,” Johnson lamented. “I can’t afford to get my hair done, nails done, go on vacation, or even buy food… it’s so hard to even save money.”
While her friends enjoyed the freedom and excitement of their summer before college, she was left feeling disappointed that she was stuck working a service job and sitting home on her days off.
Even the smallest luxuries, like getting her nails done, were inaccessible, making typical teenage girl things out of reach.
Of course, it’s not completely on these parents that their daughter has to experience this financial reality — it’s what many families are forced to do today.
However, if they have the means to financially support her, and are choosing not to, that’s an entirely different story.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a News & Entertainment Writer at YourTango who focuses on health & wellness, social policy, and human interest stories.