Navigating adulthood in today’s economy is becoming increasingly challenging, not least for young people desperately trying to make their way independently.

Between soaring rent prices, student loan debt, and the ever-rising cost of living, it’s comes as no surprise that everything requires careful planning and sometimes even some external support.

Though, for one Reddit user, lending a helping hand turned out to bite him in the backside… Keep reading to find out why!

One man, identified as NoDivide4576, found himself at the center of a heated debate on parenting philosophy and responsibilities when he shared his approach to supporting his 20-year-old daughter.

Currently living rent-free with her father while attending college, she had initially agreed to an arrangement that both her and NoDivide4576 had agreed was fair – exchanging cooking and cleaning for accommodation.

In a post on the subreddit ‘Am I The A*****e,’ NoDivide4576 laid out the situation, asking for fellow Reddit users’ opinions on the issue. He explained: “When she moved back home, we made a deal where she would cook and clean the house as a form of payment for her living here. She agreed to it, and we both thought it was fair.”

A clash of expectations

However, a recent development led to a clash of expectations. “However, recently, she approached me and said that the cooking and cleaning are taking up too much of her time, making it hard for her to study and complete her homework. She asked if I could reduce the number of days she has to cook to give her more time for her studies,” NoDivide4576 wrote.

In response, the father chose to stand firm on the original agreement, explaining to his daughter that she was in a very different position to other people her age. “I told her that she should be grateful for the deal I offered her and that it’s not that hard to do a few hours of chores compared to what many kids her age are going through,” the father said.

“I pointed out that some of her peers are working 9-5 while going to school simultaneously, and I’ve given her the luxury of just handling some household chores in exchange for free housing,” he added.

The daughter, feeling the need to address her concerns, took the matter to her aunt (NoDivide4576’s sister) without her father’s knowledge. “My sister called me, and kind of went off on me, basically saying I’m being too strict and should listen to my daughter,” NoDivide4576 wrote in his post.

He then concluded by asking other Redditors whether he was being too harsh.

Reddit’s response

The online community’s response was generally favorable towards the daughter, with quite a few people accusing the dad of taking advantage of her.