A teenager that pays rent has rights too!

[Casey1505]

@kanicbird

Couldn’t they at least have put it in an interest bearing account, wasn’t there something in the Bible where God got pissed at a servant who just burried money he was intrusted with in a coffee can in the backyard even though he handed it back in the end?

Oh, I’m sure they did…theirs! But I’m also sure that the money wasn’t touched unless we were in a real pinch (which we had been in) and even then, it looks like it was paid back.

I’m not saying that I was in any way entitled to the money, and I’m not implying that the OP would be, either. It was just an example of parents looking out for the well being of their kids, and using unorthodox methods to do so. Both of my parents are gone now, and I’m just beginning to “get it”. Hopefully, I’ll be able to use some of the same tricks on my kid.

[cichlidiot]

Some of the things in the list sound like the OP feels unappreciated. I’m guessing if he/she sat down with his mom, the mother would probably say the same thing. If the added responsibility of contributing financially to the household, is the only thing that’s changed, I think there’s room to negotiate. Paying for continued phone service or to replace another family member’s car window, sounds like a bit of weight. I’d hope there was some give there on the mother’s part for weight on the contributor’s part. I do believe it is her house and her rules, but I think if the expectation is there for an added responsibility of financial contribution to the household, the contributor is justified in having added expectations considered also. I’d recommend when negotiating for more independence, demonstrating the ability to be responsible with that independence. Keeping a room clean, sleeping in occasionally (not every Saturday), realizing there’s other members of the household not on the same schedule as you (allowing brother to sleep), etc.

[START]

I have read every single post so far and unfortunately for the most part I am coming off as a brat especially with Lynn. Maybe I should explain a little more to give you all some perspective.

Don’t tell me to clean up: I am actually a very neat guy most of the time but if my room gets out of place for one day then I’m told I need to clean it up before going anywhere yet my brother is out skateboarding at the park. We both use the room.

Throwing away Cd’s: I think my mother has this allergy because 90 per cent of what I consider music makes her break out in hives just like most of you. Except my classic rock collection, anyway she claims that she gives each CD a listen before she tossed it yet she also threw out some of my Edited CD’s that have no cursing.

VCR: I have to admit it was the family’s but it has been with me so long I consider it mine…so I won’t argue about that. Try since I was 12.

Don’t let Houseguests…: Remember my OJ Simpson post…if you do that explains that.

Don’t wake me on Saturday:That is my only day to sleep in Monday through Friday is school and Sunday is church. Friday night is my night out with my clique so I am not trying to get up at 7 am on a Saturday.

Telling me to leave so my brother can sleep: Wouldn’t be a problem if he actually slept and didn’t watch The Simpsons and adult swim (Cartoons) before falling asleep around 1am.

No friends after 7pm:Not even on a Saturday to watch a movie or listen to music she should be glad I am in the house on some Saturday nights…I know people that are Sophmores that stay away from home the entire weekend, that is the truth.

12am Curfew: You and I know that going to a movie can last all the way til’ midnight. I call my mom almost every hour when I’m out and I am not a party animal. Gotta save that for College…J/K Most nights I am in before 1230 am so I need a 30 minute extension for most nights.

Lock on the door: This would help keep my room clean, keep my property from getting broken or stolen. I have a big family and little kids like to break stuff and their friends are no different. I do not trust half of my brother’s so called friends because they steal.

Do put my 13 year old brother in with my younger brother: The truth is that this particular brother and I get along great because he reminds me of me when I was 13. It’s just lately it seems like when he has homework or is busy I am not and the other way around. Also my other brother is not very far behind him in age yet they don’t really know each other, they should START bonding.

The computer: Do not want to mislead anybody I did not buy the computer it was a gift from Grandma but all the time we had it it did not have aol until I went over and above my rent obligation and paid for it.
*but I think if the expectation is there for an added responsibility of financial contribution to the household, the contributor is justified in having added expectations *Thanx Cichlidiot that’s all I’m saying.

OK now I hope that I come off more reasonable and not like a brat…oh yeah I wanted to address this…

I will not get into the Kazaa thing to much because I do not want to get this post locked out but I buy most of the artists CD’s that I download and also the majority of the artists I look for on Kazaa are not signed with major labels or don’t have record deals yet they are more “word of mouth” and difficult to find in stores so I am sure they want to be downloaded on Kazaa. When I find it I buy it fair and square and I’m not saying that anyone else should use Kazaa for any reason.

[clairobscur]

@Mercury

Parents owe their children privacy whether their kids are paying $50/week or nothing.

He’s asking for more than privacy. Besides, it’s not necessarily possible to grant him privacy without it being detrimental to others since apparently he has several siblings in a small house.

[Lynn_Bodoni]

Now that I have some more information, yes, you probably DO need a lock on your door, or at least some safe place where you can put your stuff and know that it will be there when you come back. This would also solve the CD tossing problem. If everything is as you say, she just tosses the CDs because she doesn’t like the music, yeah, that’s wrong. I don’t know what you can do to get her to change this, though, other than asking to be compensated every time she does it.

If Little Bro is up late watching Adult Swim, then yeah, he’s NOT going to sleep at 7. I’m not sure when Adult Swim starts around here, I think it’s after midnight, and I don’t know when it starts in your area. (I only watch Cowboy Bebop on Adult Swim.) This changes things.

Again, I say that you need to sit down with Mom and start negotiating as calmly as possible. Preferably when both of you are in fairly good moods. Make up a list of stuff you want beforehand, so you’ll know what to ask for. My daughter and I have had quite a few negotiations about things…stuff like how many hugs and kisses I can bug her for each day, for instance. She’d prefer not to be touched, while I enjoy hugging and kissing her. I didn’t know that I was really bugging her until she told me. We’ve worked out an agreement. We’ve also worked out housekeeping task division, and other stuff.

[Little_Nemo]

I moved out when I was 20. I lived in an apartment building with a bunch of other people, most of them around my age. Our rent was due on the first of the month. Most of us had low-paying jobs and rent was a major portion of our expenses (in my case it was half my take home pay).

On the first of the month, Walt, the building’s owner came around to collect the rent. I, along with almost everyone else, paid. But one guy explained to Walt that he had had some unexpected expenses with his car the previous week and didn’t have his rent money. Walt looked at him for a second and said, “What the fuck do I care about your car expenses? I’m your landlord not your mother. I’ll be back in three hours. Have my rent money or your shit’s getting dumped in the road.” The guy stood there stunned as Walt turned and walked out.

Witnessing this was a revelation for me. It was the first time I really understood that I was now living out in the real world.

[Scarlett67]

@Lynn Bodoni

Now that I have some more information, yes, you probably DO need a lock on your door, or at least some safe place where you can put your stuff and know that it will be there when you come back.

A young teenage friend of ours was having a similar problem; her 10-years-younger sister was always getting into her stuff and wrecking/losing it, and their house didn’t have much for storage out of her reach. So one Christmas Mr. S built her a large pine trunk with a latch and a lock. Problem solved.

[Earthworm_Jim]

@START

Lock on the door: This would help keep my room clean, keep my property from getting broken or stolen. I have a big family and little kids like to break stuff and their friends are no different. I do not trust half of my brother’s so called friends because they steal.

HA! Welcome to my world!! I got 4 kids 10 and under. They and their little buddies like to run around my house taking whatever they want, smashing it to bits, screaming, jumping, thumping, breaking, wrecking, and generally acting like wild animals!!

Consider your current situation your mothers revenge