Its common practice for children to move out of the family home when they turn 18, either to enter work life or further education.
However in this day and age, that is virtually impossible with the current cost of living crisis that we are experiencing in the UK.
We struck gold when both our children were accepted to local universities which meant that they could continue to live at home.
The notion of charging them for digs isn’t one that’s even occurred to us. The beauty of them living at home allows them to focus on their studies, and living a young teenage life to the full.
Why burden them with bills? Bills and mortgages are two of life’s burdens that they won’t be able to escape. So while they are under our roof we want them be carefree.
Raj Gill says she does not charge her Raj Gill with her daughter Karam, 21, and son Jeevan, 19, any rent to live at home (pictured, the family together)
My children understand the value of money, and they both have a strong work ethic, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. They have witnessed both their parents working extremely hard all their lives.
And as soon as she was of age, my eldest child, Karam got herself a job, she didn’t squander away her earnings, and she spent a little but saved a lot. This set another good example for my son who is younger.
Karam, 21, is currently at university, she just started her fourth year, she spent the summer interning and when she returned to university, the company kept her on, and gave her a part time job and she also volunteers.
Jeevan, 19, is also currently at university, he has just started his second year, and he has two jobs and also volunteers.
They are both good kids and hardly have a spare moment in the day, between their studies, jobs, volunteering, sports and family and friends commitments, they keep themselves busy and active.
They work hard to make money and understand the value of it. If they were the type of kids who squandered money maybe my attitude would be different.
Luckily they are not; they have consistently showed us that they are responsible. And they are not entitled; they rarely ever ask us for anything.
I just feel that there are enough pressures on kids these days, why would I want to pile on more.
We are currently a four income household and don’t get me wrong I’m one hundred per cent certain that if ever a situation occurred and we did need them to chip in, they both would.
Pictured: Raj’s daughter and son Karam and Jeevan who are currently studying at university
This is their home, not rented accommodation. It won’t be long before they will need to adult, and at least they will have some sort of a nest egg to help get them on their feet.
To be honest I don’t know how it is going to be possible for them to get on the property ladder without parental help.
Things are getting more and more difficult for the young ones these days. The majority of my children’s peers continue to live at home, rent free, because they basically cannot afford rented accommodation.
My first property purchase happened because I had a guarantor which enabled me to get on the property ladder and that scheme no longer exists.
Hence the importance of allowing my children to save as much money as they can.
Also I’m all about ‘my house, my rules’, can you imagine if I charged them rent, and they started to try and assert their renter rights!
The kids have chores, and they always have, this was to teach them responsibility and to help the house run as smoothly as possible.
We, all four are super busy with work, studies, familial responsibilities, so everyone has to chip in and do their bit.
And luckily we don’t currently require them to chip in financially. It’s far more important to me that my children earn their own money with a strong work ethic which will aid them into adulthood and for them to build a nest egg.
And we want them to know that they always have a home wherever we are, a home without financial conditions. It is how I was brought up.
Jeevan, 19, is also currently at university, he has just started his second year, and he has two jobs and also volunteers (Pictured, Raj and Jeevan together)
We are south Asian and it used to be customary that a daughter would go from her father’s home to her husbands, therefore bypassing rented accommodation altogether, because it was also customary that sons continued to live with the parents, again without financial responsibility of paying dig money, the long term thinking on that one is that then the children take care of the parents into their old age, and inherit the property and the money etc.
I grew up with the notion that the parental home is also my home, however being the child; it was also a rent free environment. That’s not being entitled; it’s just the way I was brought up.
My parents came to Britain in the early 70s and had and still have a super strong work ethic, and as soon as we were able we worked alongside them. We grew up understanding the value of money and hard graft.
It was a different time, families all rallied and worked as a team and maintained a home. It’s getting harder and harder for the youth of today, and as a parent I don’t want to stress my children out worrying about paying rent to live in their home.
Each and every family has different circumstances, and we have to do what is best for our families.
I am hoping that my decision not to charge them rent will lead to long term financial independence for them.
And it ultimately leads to a stronger family bond. It allows them to focus on careers that align with their skill set instead of taking any old job just to make ends meet.
Financial stress can have a negative impact on mental health; we are allowing them to focus on career growth, well being and personal development.
Our hope is that we are creating a stronger intergenerational family bond.
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