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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To give money to dd who is buying a house , but to delay same to ds for reasons as below…

204 replies

Ginandbitterlemons · 21/10/2025 11:47

Dd is buying a house with bf - if we give them 10k it will help with deposit and make mortgage rate better.
We always try to support our dc in various ways , emotionally , practically ( eg bought furniture for both when set up in rented flats, when and built fkatpacks etc) bought both cars.

We have limited savings cf to many (50k) so we can only give this amount once .

Our dilemma is when to give ds his 10k - he has just been promoted to a senior role in school - head of year - at age 28 .
He is in a different stage of life to dd as in he is in a new relationship.
He is also very much into travel .. this year sri lanka , last year Japan .. he really really values it , got on a plane first age was legally allowed to travel and funded it by working at w end s since he was a young teen .
dd is very practical - saved like mad for house deposit - to extent of sharing coffees out with bf to save .
ds is a mostly live for today person- love’s adventure , travel , hobbies.But he batch cooks each sunday as I both as a child and so eats well but cheaply all week including a batch cooked lunch .

We guess that if we give him his 10k NOW he is likely to soend it on random stuff and travel experience s.
I am aware that once you give money away it is not yours to say what should be done with it . My dilemma is ( son not tet aware we have helped dd out ) should we give it now in the knowledge that it may be frittered or fun money- or hold it back in case he ever wants a house at a later stage -we cannot give it x2.
I am totally aware that we could simply have the conversation with him - sensible option - but if we give it now it may be frittered away,and then if his priorities change in future it will be mistimed .
Whilst aware that experiences are valuable - it feels hard to let go of that amount of money that could help him significantly in the future if it is the wrong time to give it.
Any opinions?
We thought about putting it in an account for him? But yet he is an adult and should be able to choose.?
In part , am aware that its one fifth of our savings- that we 100% want to support dc - but part of me is aware that id have to work in the fact that whilst we cannot stipulate what a gift is spent on - a part of me feels it ‘ should ‘ be saved for his future not a couple of fantastic holidays… even though I don't want to feel
that- its in the back of my mind!

OP posts:
Ginandbitterlemons · 21/10/2025 11:55

osamu Thankyou
We are older parents - dh 66 me 61 - we did not want to leave it too late in case it was seen as deprivation of assets in case we needed care in future .

OP posts:
RubySquid · 21/10/2025 11:54

Maybe he doesn't consider a life of rich experiences and travel to be " frittering" money away. Seems like you only want to give him money if he " complies" to your ideas of life.

It's really very easy. Give them the 10k each and that's it

osamu · 21/10/2025 11:52

tell him you’ll put it into a savings account for him and explain your reasons…
he might not take it at first but he will most likely accept it in the future. Give him access to the account when your sure he’ll spend it on something more long term..
YANBU

Ginandbitterlemons · 21/10/2025 11:49

.. reading back the post- its pretty clear talk to him .
I think I just needed to put thoughts into words.

OP posts: