They Had a College Fund for Each of Their Kids But They Used Their Daughter’s Money When She Dropped Out of School. Now She’s Going Back and Wants Them to Pay. They Refused. Are They Wrong?

The original poster (OP) is the father of a 20-year-old girl. She recently decided to go back to college after taking a year off. She dropped out of college only after a few months and said it wasn’t for her. OP and his wife were completely against the move. 

The Daughter’s Decision

college girl looking down and looking sad while holding notebooks

Despite her parent’s wishes, the daughter dropped out of college and moved in with her boyfriend. She started working at this family’s restaurant business. 

They Had a College Fund

OP says there was still over $30,000 set aside in her education fund to pay for their daughter’s tuition. But they felt since she wasn’t going to school anymore, they should be able to use the money for something else.

She Wanted the Money

father sitting on bed with hands up in frustration while daughter sits on chair looking upset

Their daughter asked if she could access the money in her college tuition account before she moved in with her boyfriend, but OP and his wife refused. They told their daughter that the money was saved for her tuition only, and if she dropped out of college, they would use it for something else.

 The Money Was Used Elsewhere

man measuring the cabinets

OP and his wife had been wanting to remodel their kitchen for a while, so they decided to go ahead and use the money for it.  

She Wants to Return to School

girl looking down and lost in thought

After OP and his wife used the money, their daughter came back. She told them she decided to return to college because it didn’t work out with her boyfriend, and she realized her job prospects were poor without finishing school.

She Thought They Were Bluffing

daughter looking upset while parents talk in the background

But OP’s daughter was shocked that they had used her college money towards the house even though they had the conversation before she dropped out and moved in with her boyfriend. She said she thought they were bluffing and didn’t really mean they would spend the money. 

She Says they Still Need to Pay for College

man and teenager sitting at the table arguing

OP’s daughter said since they were still paying for their son’s college tuition, they should be paying for her. OP told her she needed to work part-time and attend a less expensive school, like a community college, instead of a state school.

She’s Ignoring Their Calls

middle-aged couple talking

OP’s daughter has been angry and ignoring their calls. OP’s wife suggested that they could still help her out financially. 

 They are Behind on Retirement Goals

husband and wife looking at their finances.

But OP says they are nearing retirement age and are a little behind on their retirement goals. He doesn’t want to take money out of their savings just because their daughter made poor choices. OP feels he has given his daughter good alternatives and offered to let her stay at the house rent-free so she can focus on paying for college. Is he wrong?

The Online Community Responds

many people sitting in a group with cell phones

The top-voted response is that OP isn’t wrong. “She made a decision to drop out, and with that came you telling her that you’d use the remaining college fund money for something else. I also presume that at the time of her dropping out, she presented her decision as permanent since she said that college wasn’t for her, meaning that you don’t know how long she would’ve taken to go back to college if she went back at all. ‘But I thought you were bluffing’ is a feeble response. You don’t get to use that line when you’re making a life-changing decision and are given conditions by the people financing you. She just learnt a very expensive lesson.”

But many said OP and his wife should have held on to the money longer. “OP said in a comment below “Having just gotten my youngest into college, I’m no longer in the parenting mood, lol.” As a parent, I am getting odd vibes from the tone and how quickly OP moved to disappear money into a kitchen when apparently they’re behind on retirement. Can they? Sure, but as a parent, it’s weird to jump to that so fast.” The reader continued, “But it’s weird to me to put a ton of work into spending years saving five figures to give your kid a leg up in life, and then decide you’re done when they make very predictably poor decisions at 19/20. There are lots of ways to re-teach responsibility – like only matching any scholarship funds they earn on their own or only reinstating partial support after X semesters are completed. I would not have saved for years and then washed my hands of helping so fast, personally.”

The 10 Most Unfunny Comedians According to the Internet

Ellen DeGeneres standing with sunglasses on

Comedians are brave people who come into the spotlight with the sole purpose of making us laugh. Not every joke can be a hit, but they will lose their following if they repeatedly fail to entertain. Comedians are no different than actors when it comes to slip-ups and controversy. It’s not always their jokes that make them unfunny. According to a popular online forum, here are the top-voted answers to the most unfunny comedians. 

The 10 Most Unfunny Comedians According to the Internet

She Lost Her Soulmate to Cancer and He Left Her Most of His Money. The In-Laws Think They Deserved More and She Feels Guilty. Should She Give Them Some of Her Inheritance?

woman looking out the window looking sad

Maintaining relationships can be challenging, and nothing drives a wrench between people faster than money. This widow is grieving the loss of the love of her life and dealing with the guilt of his financial decisions. This is her story.

Maintaining relationships can be challenging, and nothing drives a wrench between people faster than money. This widow is grieving the loss of the love of her life and dealing with the guilt of his financial decisions. This is her story.

She Was Excited to Have an Empty Seat Beside Her on the Plane for Room to Stretch and Rest. Flight Attendant Moved Another Passenger to the Empty Seat So a Baby Could Sit Beside the Mom. She Thought the Mom Acted Entitled. Was She Wrong?

flight attendant giving thumbs down
Image credit: Shutterstock

She Was Excited to Have an Empty Seat Beside Her on the Plane for Room to Stretch and Rest. Flight Attendant Moved Another Passenger to the Empty Seat So a Baby Could Sit Beside the Mom. She Thought the Mom Acted Entitled. Was She Wrong?

She Was Excited to Have an Empty Seat Beside Her on the Plane for Room to Stretch and Rest. Flight Attendant Moved Another Passenger to the Empty Seat So a Baby Could Sit Beside the Mom. She Thought the Mom Acted Entitled. Was She Wrong?

Friend Invites Group to Dinner and then Charges Everyone Money at the End Without Discussion. Should They Pay Her for the Food?

friends eating dinner together and toasting with wine.

The original poster (OP) is seeking advice from the reddit community about a dinner party they attended. A friend invited OP to dinner at her house a few weeks ago, and the dinner was last night. OP asked her if she could bring anything, but the host said it wasn’t a potluck. She said she would be making dinner for everyone. There were seven guests, and OP said the food was good. But something happens at the end of the dinner that doesn’t sit right with the guests, especially OP.

Friend Invites Group to Dinner and then Charges Everyone Money at the End Without Discussion. Should They Pay Her for the Food?

She’s 34 Weeks Pregnant and Parked in a Spot for Veterans and Expecting Mothers. A Veteran Yelled at Her For Taking the Spot. Should He Get Priority?

pregnant woman standing beside a car.

She is a 19-year-old pregnant woman and says her pregnancy has been rough. As a result, she avoids going out much lately but couldn’t avoid a trip to the grocery store because her husband couldn’t go. She says where she lives in the southern U.S., some places have a particular parking spot for veterans and pregnant people, and they are often in the same spot. The grocery store she visited had this same parking spot, so she used it. Find out what happens as she is leaving her car.

She’s 34 Weeks Pregnant and Parked in a Spot for Veterans and Expecting Mothers. A Veteran Yelled at Her For Taking the Spot. Should He Get Priority?

source: reddit