I’m 17, still in school, and working a part-time job. My parents recently gave me a monthly payment plan to “pay them back” for raising me—covering costs like food, shelter, and general care. On top of already giving them part of my paycheck, this new demand is way more than I can afford. I feel trapped and unsure if I’ll ever be able to move out.
They insist it’s their right and that I agreed to it years ago, though I don’t remember that. Can they legally force me to do this?
Let’s be absolutely clear: what your parents are doing is wrong. Expecting a teenager to “repay” them for being raised is not just manipulative—it’s a fundamental failure of parenting.
Raising a child is not a loan. It’s a legal and moral obligation that comes with the territory of becoming a parent. The idea that you “owe” them for food, shelter, or care is toxic. That’s their job. You didn’t ask to be born, and you certainly didn’t sign a contract agreeing to reimburse them for your childhood. Any supposed “agreement” you made when you were younger is not only legally meaningless but ethically absurd.
It’s alarming that they are exploiting your part-time job and threatening your ability to become independent. This isn’t teaching responsibility—it’s coercion. If you’re giving up most of your income and still being told you’re not doing enough, that’s abuse disguised as duty.
You need support. Reach out to a school counselor, a trusted adult, or a youth advocacy group. There are hotlines and legal aid services that can guide you. You deserve safety, autonomy, and a chance to build your life free of guilt and made-up debts.
You are not your parents’ investment. You’re a young person with your own future, and no one has the right to put that in chains.