August 14, 2008

Dealing With Adult Children Who Ask For Money

By Jerry Stearns

When adult children constantly ask their parents for money even after they have moved out on their own, the habit can be an indication that the child was never fully taught the importance of money management. They may not know how to make their own paycheck stretch properly for instance, or they may not understand the concept of how quickly money can disappear when you spend a few dollars here and a few dollars there. The adult child may also not understand the concept of credit accounts and cards, and if this is the case they are headed for some serious financial trouble in their future.

An adult child who constantly asks their parents for money is usually very used to getting money from their parents. In other words, the parents rarely if ever say no, and things have been that way for many years of their lives. When a child gets money from Mom or Dad anytime they want it as theyre growing up, they often continue the same habits and beliefs once theyre grown too. And unfortunately, Mom and Dad often continue handing out the cash even though the child is now an adult.

After a time of handing over money to your adult child regularly, most parents start becoming frustrated and wonder when the child will ever actually start standing on their own two feet. If however, the parents have fostered this behavior when the child still lived at home, and theyve been fostering it for some time after the child moved out to live as an adult on their own, then it will take some time and difficult steps to break the habits too.

As a responsible parent, you need to make sure your child is able to take care of themselves properly as an adult. And money management is one of the most important skills for you to teach them. It is easier to help teach your child money management skills before they reach adulthood, but all is not lost if theyre now adults and continuously expecting you to give them money.

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