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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To ask how much help you give your adult kids?

275 replies

BennettsHome · 08/07/2026 20:53

And what type of help? My parents have always helped in any way they can- financially, with errands / care for pets, diy etc. I felt so sad for my friend recently who I discussed this with. Her parents do nothing for her, no support in any way even though they can. Is this normal? She said she wishes they were more helpful in her life but they just never have been. Do people stop helping their kids when they're adults?

OP posts:
Housebashing · 09/07/2026 23:18

wellington77 · 09/07/2026 23:01

My parents are millionaires. They always said if I ever needed help with money to ask them Before a bank loan. We had our small child start to walk several years ago and our garden had a green house that was smashed and there was old bricks and other things lying in the garden. I asked if we could borrow £700 to get someone to clear and remove it all so it was safe for my child when she starts walking in the garden. They said no as they were poor pensioners . the next week they bought a caravan and went on five holidays that year, then sent a WhatsApp message with laughing emoji about a new ring my mother had bought - “ such poor pensioners “ I decided from then on to never ask them for help ever again. Was humiliating to feel like they didn’t care enough for their grand daughter’s safety. I understand not spoiling children and getting them to be financially independent but I feel at lease be honest with your reasoning as it really does hurt.

Hopefully that money will find its way to you eventually they can’t take it with them bastards

HaveYouFedTheFish · 10/07/2026 05:02

Radrover · 09/07/2026 21:30

More interested in what the people who get loads of financial and practical support do for their parents, do in return. But I seem to have hit a sore point. 😂

No, my parents are dead and I lived abroad when my children were young - so no help. I'm the parent of adults, but your post is grabby - as parents we chose to have our children, are you really expecting your children to give you money and do (what exactly for you?) chores for you as some kibd of tribute or tit for tat, before you actually need it when you're frail?

Radrover · 10/07/2026 06:25

HaveYouFedTheFish · 10/07/2026 05:02

No, my parents are dead and I lived abroad when my children were young - so no help. I'm the parent of adults, but your post is grabby - as parents we chose to have our children, are you really expecting your children to give you money and do (what exactly for you?) chores for you as some kibd of tribute or tit for tat, before you actually need it when you're frail?

Not grabby at all - have not asked my parents for financial help since I got a job after graduating. There was a theme in my family and it was paying back your parents for bring you up - for all the effort they put in. When I met dh - he was sending £200 a month to his parents to supplement their income. I notice my friends do help out their kids - but there is a common theme - ask them to do a tiny thing for you and they behave like you have asked them a massive favour, they're too busy (none of them have kids yet). It does all seem to go one way and for all those who complain about having awful parents who give them nothing - I've seen some pretty awful behaviour from adult children - but that's ok because they didn't ask to be born!😂

HaveYouFedTheFish · 10/07/2026 06:38

Radrover · 10/07/2026 06:25

Not grabby at all - have not asked my parents for financial help since I got a job after graduating. There was a theme in my family and it was paying back your parents for bring you up - for all the effort they put in. When I met dh - he was sending £200 a month to his parents to supplement their income. I notice my friends do help out their kids - but there is a common theme - ask them to do a tiny thing for you and they behave like you have asked them a massive favour, they're too busy (none of them have kids yet). It does all seem to go one way and for all those who complain about having awful parents who give them nothing - I've seen some pretty awful behaviour from adult children - but that's ok because they didn't ask to be born!😂

Are you from a culture where children are indebted to parents? I've got a friend whose husband sends his parents and extended family random fairly large sums on demand and has left them unable to pay bills twice - and regularly leaves her paying for anything they do together because he's sent his "personal" money to parents/ uncle/ whoever for some inexplicable thing (an iPhone for a sibling so the couple can't afford the weekend break they've already booked for example).
It's very hard to understand, coming from a culture where children help parents financially only rarely/ if parents have an unexpected catastrophe.

Radrover · 10/07/2026 07:25

HaveYouFedTheFish · 10/07/2026 06:38

Are you from a culture where children are indebted to parents? I've got a friend whose husband sends his parents and extended family random fairly large sums on demand and has left them unable to pay bills twice - and regularly leaves her paying for anything they do together because he's sent his "personal" money to parents/ uncle/ whoever for some inexplicable thing (an iPhone for a sibling so the couple can't afford the weekend break they've already booked for example).
It's very hard to understand, coming from a culture where children help parents financially only rarely/ if parents have an unexpected catastrophe.

No we’re both white British. We don’t come from a culture where we believe parents owe us for the rest of their lives. We are fully functioning independent adults who are well capable of paying for our own decisions in life and have no need to take money off our parents.

WillowTit · 10/07/2026 07:29

ds and his wife have more money than us!
so apart from wedding help, no help necessary

dd came home so plenty of help

HaveYouFedTheFish · 10/07/2026 07:37

Radrover · 10/07/2026 07:25

No we’re both white British. We don’t come from a culture where we believe parents owe us for the rest of their lives. We are fully functioning independent adults who are well capable of paying for our own decisions in life and have no need to take money off our parents.

And your parents aren't independent adults?

My issue isn't with not expecting financial help from parents but the suggestion children owe their parents financially for bringing them up!
My children certainly don't owe me money for doing what I freely chose to commit to when I decided to have children.
Anyone who feels their children should pay them back for doing what all decent parents do has a warped view if it's not embedded in their culture to believe you have children as a financial investment to be your cash cow once they're launched.

Radrover · 10/07/2026 07:47

HaveYouFedTheFish · 10/07/2026 07:37

And your parents aren't independent adults?

My issue isn't with not expecting financial help from parents but the suggestion children owe their parents financially for bringing them up!
My children certainly don't owe me money for doing what I freely chose to commit to when I decided to have children.
Anyone who feels their children should pay them back for doing what all decent parents do has a warped view if it's not embedded in their culture to believe you have children as a financial investment to be your cash cow once they're launched.

Dh’s father had to stop work at 50 years old due to severe health problems - so no not really full functioning independent adult - he was reliant on the state - which left them financially vulnerable. It’s gratitude to your parents for all the efforts they made bringing you up, you consider ways of showing that gratitude - I don’t understand not feeling that and expecting them to continue supporting you and you choices. We see things differently, I don’t need the help, so I wouldn’t ask for it - I sort out my own challenges but it seems many continue to need help from their parents their entire lives.

Justanothernana · 10/07/2026 08:41

FlipFlopZebra · 09/07/2026 20:38

They live in a 2 bed house they own that and the family home. They deliberately bought the 2 bed house so my husbands brother could have the family house. So was definitely planned. They did have another property too has a second home but they recently sold that.

We did used to live in london but we moved out because we couldn’t afford to buy a house and wanted a house for raising a family.

Well I’m really sorry they haven’t helped you at all. Doesn’t sound fair and that’s hurtful.

Justanothernana · 10/07/2026 08:45

HaveYouFedTheFish · 10/07/2026 07:37

And your parents aren't independent adults?

My issue isn't with not expecting financial help from parents but the suggestion children owe their parents financially for bringing them up!
My children certainly don't owe me money for doing what I freely chose to commit to when I decided to have children.
Anyone who feels their children should pay them back for doing what all decent parents do has a warped view if it's not embedded in their culture to believe you have children as a financial investment to be your cash cow once they're launched.

No but if your parents were to fall on hard times it’s natural to help them out , if you are a close family that is.

MrsKeats · 10/07/2026 08:50

Thechaseison71 · 09/07/2026 19:13

All my adult kids have more money than me lol. It's not always rich parents and " struggling" kids despite what MN would have u believe

Be interesting to see what these adult kids are doing for their parents

Edited

So what?
This is my experience.

MrsKeats · 10/07/2026 08:52

Justanothernana · 09/07/2026 20:53

I’m a ‘plastic ‘scouser though no longer live in merseyside and agree with everything you say. It’s been like that in my family for generations it’s just what we’re used to. Mine are regularly round for sunday dinner and we help out with everything we can including childcare. Wouldn’t have it any other way. Ps Kids didn’t grow up in Merseyside but are staunch lfc fans ;)

Jedi scouser myself now 😂
It’s so true.
Everyone helps everyone so it doesn’t just go one way.

Thechaseison71 · 10/07/2026 11:08

MrsKeats · 10/07/2026 08:50

So what?
This is my experience.

Yeah in different circumstances. Doesn't mean everyone has tons of cash to throw at adult kids And anyway how does that help their sense of self and achievements if parents provide so much?

sandalbed · 10/07/2026 11:13

Thechaseison71 · 10/07/2026 11:08

Yeah in different circumstances. Doesn't mean everyone has tons of cash to throw at adult kids And anyway how does that help their sense of self and achievements if parents provide so much?

No one has said every parent has tons of cash spare though?

Why does my parents helping me out with a housing deposit so I spent fewer years renting mean I have less sense of an achievement?

GreenVelvetTrousers · 10/07/2026 11:28

I help DS financially…a lot. Too much if anything. The last lot I gave him, he’s being made to pay back actually but if you knew how much I’d given him (and how little this is in comparison), you wouldn’t raise an eyebrow.

Badbadbunny · 10/07/2026 12:34

Thechaseison71 · 10/07/2026 11:08

Yeah in different circumstances. Doesn't mean everyone has tons of cash to throw at adult kids And anyway how does that help their sense of self and achievements if parents provide so much?

Our DS has no problem with "sense of self and achievements" and we've provided him with a lot of things, financially, a car, furniture/fittings for his flat, paying towards Uni costs so he did'nt need to take out full student loans, etc.

We did all that as an "investment" in him. The old adage, give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day, teach him to fish and he'll eat for the rest of his life! We did it to get him to where he is now, as we were worried he'd not get his degree (awful covid years where nothing was face to face and he was trapped in his tiny room), and to grease the wheels when he had to move to a different city a couple of hundred miles away for his first graduate job - he didn't have the "headspace" to find and furnish a flat AND cope with working in a new high pressure employment. Of course, he didn't have his own money for a flat deposit, or a couple of thousand to furnish it (no unfurnished flats available!!), so heaven knows what he'd have done if we hadn't helped him out - well we do know, he'd either not have taken the job or would have given up in the first few weeks had he been living in a tent or hotel that he couldn't afford!

3 years on and he's fully independent, we don't "give" him anything any more, he's moved on from his first job and moved to London, sourced his own shared flat, bought his own furniture/fittings as needed. We've never even been inside his new flat and did literally nothing in respect of helping him (financially nor otherwise) with the home move, new job, etc. Did it all himself.

Kids need a "help up" not a "hand out".

We'd have done none of that if he was bumming about, not putting any effort into his education/career, etc., but we saw it as for the greater good, as we live in a deprived region and he'd not have got a decent job had he stayed closer to home or living at home. So we needed to help him relocate and set up in a city where there were jobs.

EmailsaysOOO · 10/07/2026 13:40

GreenVelvetTrousers · 10/07/2026 11:28

I help DS financially…a lot. Too much if anything. The last lot I gave him, he’s being made to pay back actually but if you knew how much I’d given him (and how little this is in comparison), you wouldn’t raise an eyebrow.

Can I ask what the reasoning behind the money gifts was ? Was it for a house deposit or car ?.

Thechaseison71 · 10/07/2026 14:00

sandalbed · 10/07/2026 11:13

No one has said every parent has tons of cash spare though?

Why does my parents helping me out with a housing deposit so I spent fewer years renting mean I have less sense of an achievement?

Speaking for myself id feel infantalised and embarrassed poncing off mummy and daddy

Thechaseison71 · 10/07/2026 14:05

Badbadbunny · 10/07/2026 12:34

Our DS has no problem with "sense of self and achievements" and we've provided him with a lot of things, financially, a car, furniture/fittings for his flat, paying towards Uni costs so he did'nt need to take out full student loans, etc.

We did all that as an "investment" in him. The old adage, give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day, teach him to fish and he'll eat for the rest of his life! We did it to get him to where he is now, as we were worried he'd not get his degree (awful covid years where nothing was face to face and he was trapped in his tiny room), and to grease the wheels when he had to move to a different city a couple of hundred miles away for his first graduate job - he didn't have the "headspace" to find and furnish a flat AND cope with working in a new high pressure employment. Of course, he didn't have his own money for a flat deposit, or a couple of thousand to furnish it (no unfurnished flats available!!), so heaven knows what he'd have done if we hadn't helped him out - well we do know, he'd either not have taken the job or would have given up in the first few weeks had he been living in a tent or hotel that he couldn't afford!

3 years on and he's fully independent, we don't "give" him anything any more, he's moved on from his first job and moved to London, sourced his own shared flat, bought his own furniture/fittings as needed. We've never even been inside his new flat and did literally nothing in respect of helping him (financially nor otherwise) with the home move, new job, etc. Did it all himself.

Kids need a "help up" not a "hand out".

We'd have done none of that if he was bumming about, not putting any effort into his education/career, etc., but we saw it as for the greater good, as we live in a deprived region and he'd not have got a decent job had he stayed closer to home or living at home. So we needed to help him relocate and set up in a city where there were jobs.

And I have taught my kids diy skills, basic car repair skills great budgeting skill which also helped them immensely Also they learned on where to get free/ cheap items for the house save paying a shitload for stuff unnecessarily.

So that fits on with more the " teaching to fish"

I also provided driving lessons as that's a skill that was useful for them to learn

So that surely is a " help up" without just doling out cash as some seem to on here

Maray1967 · 10/07/2026 14:08

BennettsHome · 08/07/2026 21:01

This is so awful and I'm so sorry. I wonder how these sort of parents respond when their friends of a similar age mention the help they give their kids. Do they lie? Are they not embarrassed or guilty? It is so hard nowadays to have no help, especially with the financial implications of things like childcare. Really sad.

PIL do not seem to have an issue with the fact that they did practically no babysitting at all while almost their friends were doing either some regular childcare, one or two days a week, or offering a lot of help at weekends.

They did berate DH and BIL about not having any photos of the DGC on their phones as all their friends did. BIL told them to take some then.

sandalbed · 10/07/2026 14:11

@Thechaseison71

My family & in-laws wanted us to stay in London where we grew up so they helped us with property.

Some people have different financial means and closer family relationships, you don’t need to be bitter about it 🤷🏻‍♀️

Thechaseison71 · 10/07/2026 14:20

sandalbed · 10/07/2026 14:11

@Thechaseison71

My family & in-laws wanted us to stay in London where we grew up so they helped us with property.

Some people have different financial means and closer family relationships, you don’t need to be bitter about it 🤷🏻‍♀️

Closer family relationships?? I'm very close to all my adult kids And why would I be bitter ffs

Maray1967 · 10/07/2026 14:31

But to get back to the point. We helped DS26 with his first car. He made the first payments himself when he was on his placement year but struggled in his Masters year so I paid for about eight months. We helped them move in when they bought a house at 24, helping with cleaning and decorating, and he took his bed and Ikea chest of drawers and desk. His GF’s parents did similar. They often come for pizza or a takeaway on Saturdays. But other than that they manage on their own.

sandalbed · 10/07/2026 14:36

@Thechaseison71 who are you trying to convince 😆

Thechaseison71 · 10/07/2026 14:38

sandalbed · 10/07/2026 14:36

@Thechaseison71 who are you trying to convince 😆

Why on earth would I be bitter I haven't paid out thousands of my own money on adult kids?