Stepfather Asks Wife’s Son To Pay Rent, Faces Backlash
Ridiculous Plans
The mother was furious and couldn’t believe her husband’s plans for the family. She thought he was being ridiculous.
Her 8-year-old-son was confused and didn’t understand why his stepfather would ask anything like that. Why was he being punished? What had gotten into his stepfather’s head?
Divorced
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Charlie Green loved school like any other 8-year-old kid. With a book constantly in his hands, he was his mother’s pride and joy, and his friends adored him.
But he started acting out when his parents divorced, not taking the split well. He still struggled even though his dad made an effort to be a part of his life. And things would only get more challenging.
Mother And Son
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Mary Green did everything she could as a single mother and tried to give Charlie the world. She even took up another job to better provide for him.
Although the 8-year-old knew their situation, he was still a handful for Mary. Things weren’t always easy for her, and their happy life would eventually be disturbed.
A Second Go At Love
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It was a long time before Mary fell in love again. She had fallen for a man working at her waitressing job and found him charming, attentive, and kind. It seemed like she couldn’t find any flaws.
Charlie seemed to get along with him well once they met and soon enjoyed the new presence in the house. How long would this last? Would the man stay? Or would Charlie end up in tears?
Addition To The Family
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Mary and her boyfriend were soon engaged and had a beautiful wedding ceremony to mark their union as a family. It was a breathtaking event.
Everyone seemed to be happy for the newlyweds, and, as ecstatic as they were, there was someone who felt differently. Marie could never have expected what was around the corner.
Becoming A Stepfather
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Marie felt as though she was on cloud nine. She had found love again, and they were happy together. She thought she had made the right decision because her husband had taken her son in from the very start.
He had become stepfather to Charlie and did his best to be a role model. It wasn’t easy when the boy didn’t fully accept him, but things for the entire family would change.
Troubling Times
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It had only been a few months since they were married when Marie’s husband lost his job. He ended up being so depressed that nothing seemed to lift his spirits.
Charlie saw how his stepfather was feeling, and his mental state soon took its toll on the boy. The family was struggling, and making matters worse, their finances were running out.
Terrific News
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Things started to lift for the family when Mary’s husband found employment. They celebrated the good news at a restaurant, and everybody’s spirits were lifted.
But something still stood in the way. No matter how hard the man tried to find ways to connect with Charlie, the boy still struggled to accept him as a father.
Earning His Allowance
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Since the couple were doing a lot better financially, they decided to start giving Charlie an allowance. They felt that he had earned it.
His stepfather told Charlie he’d give him $100 per month if he helped around the house, doing chores. The boy was more than happy with the arrangement. He could buy his toys and video games with his own money.
Unforeseen Plan
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However, Charlie didn’t know that his stepfather had something else planned when offering him the allowance. The boy was left stunned, wondering what he’d done wrong.
Mary was stunned, too. Her husband hadn’t told her what he was planning once he gave Charlie his allowance and couldn’t believe what was happening.
Teaching Him A Lesson
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The stepfather explained he wanted to charge his 8-year-old stepson $20 a month in living expenses. Since the boy got $100 a month in allowance, that’s where the money would come from.
Charlie disagreed with this rule, but what could he do? He would risk losing his entire allowance if he protested too much. That’s where his mother came in.
Money Management
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However, the stepfather wanted to charge the boy $20 a month for living expenses despite his mother’s adverse reaction. This would still leave the boy $80. His mother thought there was something wrong with that. He was just a child, so his money should be his.
The man intended to teach him about money management, which was very important to him. He didn’t expect it to backfire like that.
Against It
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Then Mary asked, “What would happen if he doesn’t pay? Would you kick him out of the house?” The questions stumped the man.
The woman was definitely against the measure. She believed that it was too young to deal with such responsibility, and it might affect him negatively in the future. It just wasn’t a good idea, and she didn’t want to see it put into practice.
Negative Effects
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The mother argued that telling an 8-year-old his basic needs weren’t going to be met could cause a lot of problems.
It could be a traumatic experience to be 8 years old and feel like your parents are not providing for you, that you are a burden to them and need to pay for your place in their lives and home. The boy’s home should be his safe place. Money management was important, but this was not the best way to go about it.
Compromise
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Eventually, the stepfather caved in and agreed to a compromise with the mother. They decided to secure the boy’s financial future differently. The two parents opened a savings account for the boy instead, and they would just put a fixed amount every month for him to have when he grows older. And let Charlie keep his allowance untouched.
In order to protect the privacy of those depicted, some names, locations, and identifying characteristics have been changed and are products of the author’s imagination. Any resemblances to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, are entirely coincidental.
