Proud Mom Reveals Why She Makes Her 5-Year-Old Daughter Pay Rent

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Essence Evans took to Facebook on Sunday to share that she takes the majority of her daughter’s allowance for "rent" while secretly tucking the money away in a saving account for her little girl. Posting to Facebook, the mom explained how she makes her tiny tot pay $5 each week in rent.

She explained,"This strategy not only prepares your child for the real world, but when they see how much real bills are they will appreciate you".

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Writing in a Facebook post, which has since been shared more than 316,000 times, the mum announced, "I MAKE MY 5 YEAR OLD PAY RENT. Every week she gets $7 dollars in allowance. But I explained to her that in the real world most people spend most of their paycheck on bills with little to spend on themselves. So I make her give me $5 dollars back. $1 for rent $1 for water $1 for electricity $1 for cable and $1 for food. The other $2 she gets to save or do what she wants with."

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Evans later reveals that the money she withholds from her daughter goes into a bank account that will be receive as a lump sum once she turns 18.

She added,"So if she decides to move out on her own she will have $3,380 to start off."

Essence stressed that her strategy prepares children for the real world, insisting that they will be grateful in the long run.

She noted,"When they see how much real bills are they will appreciate you for giving them a huge discount".

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Essense ended her post by encouraging other mothers to "share" the message so that they too could start the same regime with their child. The Facebook post has been shared more than 313,000 times, and thousands of people have praised her for teaching her daughter such an important money lesson at an early age. Many were supportive of her plan.

One commenter wrote,"What a good idea."

Another commented."It’s a little tough. Kids don’t need that kind of stress".

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Another added,"I had to pay rent when I was 13. It did not hurt me. Great lesson."

Lorrie Pope-Wiggins said, "We always want better for our kids, but they also need to know that life is real, and nothing is handed out."

Another added, "Why are you teaching her to struggle?! Save $3/donate $2/spend $2. She needs to pay herself first (saving) which teaches her to save her money in the future, give to those who have less (donating) which teaches her empathy for others and enjoy the fruits of her labor hence spending the last."

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Melissa Thomas wrote,"I have done similar with my kids, and I am now the proud parent of two young ladies who know and respect what they can earn more than something given to them."

Maria Gahan-Broman added,"I did a similar version of this when my boys were little, they have turned out to be amazing men and fathers, great with money, taking care of their children, owning their home, paying mortgages down, staying out of debt."

Many appreciated Essence’s strategy, some others worried it was putting unnecessary stress on her daughter.

Stacey Branan Taylor said,"Its YOUR job to raise your child. Put the money in a savings account if you want, but no child should be made to feel that they should pay for what a parent should provide."

What do you think, has she given her daughter the best start in life she could possibly have? Or, is it wrong to charge her rent?