Elderly Parents Tried To Pawn Off Their Unemployed 29-Year-Old Daughter To Her Cousin So They Can Travel And Retire Without Worry

They told their niece she can either donate money to their daughter or have her move into her house indefinitely

Chelsi

• Published in Interesting
• November 8, 2022

"It's time to cut the umbilical cord," is advice often thrown at grown, able-bodied adults who can't make any decisions without their parents. When you reach a certain age, it is assumed that you can make your own choices without your parents holding your hand.

It's not a crazy, unattainable expectation, yet some adults still need their mom or dad to make their dentist's appointments for them. This Redditor has a 29-year-old cousin who belongs in that category.

Laura's parents had her when they were a bit older and they are now ready to retire. However, Laura still lives with them and they do everything for her.

OP's aunt and uncle are genuinely good people despite their questionable parenting philosophy. They believe their daughter can do no wrong and anyone who says otherwise is mean and unappreciative of how special Laura is.

Laura doesn't have a job and never had a job. She doesn't have a disability that stops her from finding a job.

She spends her time soap-making and gardening. She has friends of her own and spends her time attending creative writing workshops.

Outside of those things, Laura has no life skills to brag about. She doesn't even have chores because her parents literally do everything for her including cooking, driving her around, and booking her appointments on her behalf.

OP visisted her aunt and uncle's house to drop off a birthday gift for her elderly aunt when they asked her to stay and have a chat with them

They informed OP of their plans to retire. They wanted to sell their house, get an RV, and travel around the country. The problem is, what will happen to their 29-year-old daughter.

They wanted OP to donate money to help Laura pay for her needs or have Laura move in with her

OP immediately told her aunt and uncle that both of those options are not possible. They called her an awful family member because she won't agree to their plans.

OP said that Laura is fully capable of supporting herself and if they want her to live life on "easy mode" then it's up to them to fund that lifestyle

Their other family members have chimed in to say that OP is acting like an a**hole for disrespecting her elderly aunt and uncle. They also said she shouldn't have commented on their parenting style since she doesn't have kids of her own.

Did OP overstep with the way she responded to their demands? Does she have an obligation to help them out retire without worrying about Laura?

OP was too stunned by the outlandish request to even laugh out loud — which is the appropriate reaction to hearing such a thing

She did the right thing by laying it out plainly for them. They probably got defensive because they know deep down that OP is right.

At 19 years old, Laura should have been old enough to know how to survive if left alone. A decade later and older, she's more incapable than a 10-year-old.

They were probably planning to send her a monthly stipend but it wouldn't be enough for her to rent an apartment hence the favor they asked OP

Why did they even think OP was the right person to ask such a ridiculous favor from?

They've enabled her helpless attitude for so long they don't even consider her capable enough to land any job

Even the best and most understanding family member would balk at a request like this one

The first people to call OP an a**hole and disrespectful should be the first people to offer Laura a bed in their homes instead of mocking OP

They may have been desperate to find help for their daughter but it's no excuse to feel this much entitlement

What made them think this was an acceptable demand to ask of anyone, even a close relative?

Of all the concerned family members they seem to have, why ask OP of all people? There looks to be enough aunts, uncles, and cousins to call OP an a**hole. Why can't they ask them?

There is no shame in asking for a little help every now and then. We are only human after all and we cannot accomplish everything alone.

This situation, however, is an example of an excessive request that shouldn't have been made in the first place. Their best solution is to take Laura with them in their RV on the longest road trip of their lives.

Chelsi