Retired Mom Tells Daughter To ‘Stop Acting Poor’ When She Calls To Ask For Financial Help — ‘I Know For A Fact She Gets Starbucks Each Morning’
Her daughter admitted that she and her husband need financial assistance now that they have a newborn.
MAYA LAB | Shutterstock Raising kids is expensive, and many first-time parents rely on their parents for help during those early years. One new grandma, however, wasn't willing to even consider helping her daughter out.
After her daughter called asking for financial assistance, a mom admitted she was unwilling to provide any. The 58-year-old woman claimed that her daughter and her family were by no means "poor" and should stop acting like they were.
The retired mom told her daughter to 'stop acting poor' when she asked for financial help after welcoming her first child.
"I have a daughter, Sarah, 28, who just had her first baby a couple of months ago with her husband, Mark," the woman wrote in her since-deleted Reddit post. "Both of them work good-paying jobs, and between the two of them, they make more money than my husband and I ever did while raising our kids."
She explained that her daughter and Mark have "a beautiful home, nice cars, and no real financial issues," at least in her eyes. "They are literally upper middle class," she wrote, adding that she and her husband are retired and "living on a modest income."
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Ever since their baby was born, Sarah and Mark have been hinting that they can't afford to do certain things anymore, like eating out at restaurants — and they've taken to asking her parents for help. They've asked her to cover their groceries a few times, help with necessities for the baby, and even pitch in with some home repairs since they're "tight on money."
When the daughter asked for money to buy formula and diapers, her retired mom had enough.
"I know those things can be expensive, but the way she was talking made it sound like they were on the verge of financial ruin," she said. "I finally had enough and told her they need to stop acting like they're poor."
She also told her daughter that when she had her kids, no one was around to help her, and they survived "without any handouts" or financial help.
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She pointed to several unnecessary expenses of her daughter's like a third family car and daily Starbucks trips. In the comments, she added that Sarah and Mark still go on weekly date nights, recently went to a concert, bought a new TV, and spend on luxury brands for their child.
"I told her they could afford to handle things on their own, and maybe they should stop spending money on luxuries if they're struggling so much," she recounted.
Her daughter did not take this well and called her a jerk.
Most parents in this country are struggling financially to keep them and their children afloat.
Times are not the same as they once were. In the past, it was far easier to provide because the economy was significantly different than it is now. Today, even two-income families are struggling to afford childcare while keeping a roof over their heads, food on the table, and bills paid.
That's not to say Sarah and her family wouldn't benefit from a bit of budgeting. However, not spending $7 on Starbucks likely isn't going to make a dent, considering the staggering number of parents who are in financial crisis.
In fact, according to a 2023 survey by ParentsTogether Action, around two-thirds, 68%, of parents reported struggling to make ends meet, with the biggest challenge reported being affording food for their families.
If this Redditor can't afford to help out her daughter financially, that's fine. And even if she can, she doesn't have to.
However, she should understand that even though Sarah and her husband both have "good-paying jobs" and work full-time, it doesn't necessarily mean that they aren't struggling. Frankly, you'd be hard-pressed to find a young middle-class family that isn't.
Nia Tipton is a Chicago-based entertainment, news, and lifestyle writer whose work delves into modern-day issues and experiences.