‘It’s Life’: TikTok Mom Causes Controversy for Making 18-Year-Old Daughter Pay Rent
Another day, another viral TikTok video shared for its controversy. TikTok user @c_d_g is making waves on the social platform for posting a video about making her 18-year-old daughter pay rent in her home.
The 9-second video cuts straight to the chase, showing the 18-year-old signing a residential lease agreement, defining it as a “teaching moment.” Describing how the move is “setting her up for success,” the mother says this is how she reacted when her daughter decided to stay at home instead of move out.
Captioning the video “Rent a room🤷🏻♀️,” the TikTok user probably never thought it would get a whopping two million views. That being said, the video quickly resonated with people — and let’s just say not everyone was fully on board with the decision.
The “hate” comments quickly rolled in, with one user writing: “’Setting her up for success’ bro you’re setting her up to never speak to you again.” Another chimed in, “My parents did this and we no longer talk! so good luck I guess,” while yet another commented, “Setting her up to be in debt before ever leaving your home. Way to go!”
While many of the comments on the video were negative, some fully supported the choice. One user agreed with the TikToker, explaining, “Good for you! Love this. My mom did this w/me and my brothers. Teaches responsibility and gets them ready for real life. Job well done.” Another wrote, “This is an important life skill that most people aren’t taught.”
No matter what you think about the TikTok video, it certainly gained traction — leading @c_d_g to post a follow-up video explaining her decision. And yes, it certainly makes more sense now.
The TikTok mom described how her daughter’s monthly rent is $100, and that she does not have a car, insurance or cell phone payment. The monthly fee pays for her room, utilities, food and “everything else.” The mother explained, “It’s not that expensive.”
She also gave a bit of background about her own life, revealing that she was once a 16-year-old single mother living on her own. The TikToker said, “My parents did not set me up for success, so I had to fight for every single thing that I have.”
She continued, “I don’t want my children to have to do that, so everything I do prepares them for the real world.” The social media user described how she does not want her children to “have to depend” on her for anything, and if that means being put “in a nursing home later on in life,” she can “live with that.”
@c_d_g shared that the legal rental agreement will help her 18-year-old have “renter history” for when she does move out, and that she has the right to move out whenever she wants to. That being said, “In this economy, it would be a lot harder for her if she did move out.”
Even negotiating her curfew in the rental agreement, the TikToker wanted her daughter to understand how to read a legal document. Even better? @c_d_g replied to a comment saying that the monthly $100 will actually go to her daughter’s “wishlist items for her first place… [then] it will be saved.”
Her daughter @jaidaalize7 also posted a video giving even more insight into the idea, and it seems that she is truly on board — even though it took her a while to understand. She said, “It was hard for me at first to comprehend… going from living in somebody’s house pretty much rent free and then having to sign a lease agreement… that was pretty hard.”
That being said, the 18-year-old “came to realize” that once she moves out, she “can’t live in a house rent free.” Saying, “I’m going to have to pay [rent] sooner or later… it honestly is getting me ready.” She believes it truly makes her more “responsible” going forward, and will help her future self.
