Many parents need the reminder that just because they pay for everything their kids need, it doesn’t mean their children owe them anything in return. In fact, making sure your kids get all the essential things they need for life is one of the most basic requirements for any parent, and shouldn’t be the responsibility of anyone else. It’s especially not the responsibility of any of your other children.

When the 16-year-old daughter in the story below started working in the summer, she never intended that money to go to her mom or stepdad, even if they couldn’t afford to take care of their other children. It’s not the eldest’s responsibility to take on the financial burden of the family, and she shouldn’t pay for her parents’ mistakes.

Which is exactly why she refused to give her mom any money when she asked for it, and refused it again when the requests became demands. Eventually, the grandparents, the teen’s late dad’s parents, got involved to ensure Mom doesn’t take what is not hers.