When it comes to kids, fairness can be a tricky balance.

This parent thought he had it all figured out: go to college, and he’d cover the costs; skip it, and you’d better start paying rent.

But with three daughters working and paying their way, and one son heading to college rent-free, the family dynamics just got a lot more complicated.

Read on for what happened…

AITA for forcing 3 of my kids to get a job and charging rent but not the other?

I always told my kids that if they go to college, I’ll take care of everything else. Told them that since they were little kids.

Now I have 4 kids. 3 daughter and 1 son.

The 3 oldest (the daughters) decided college wasn’t for them. I understood but I told them they can’t just sit in my house.

I made them get jobs and I charge them rent: 200 a month.

Seems reasonable.

They’re all doing well but they all still live in the house.

My youngest is 18. That’s the boy. He graduated 3 months ago but just got accepted into a college.

I did not force him to get a job as I said if they go to school I’ll literally do everything else.

He himself decided he wanted a job. He works at Fedex and makes about 300 a week.

I don’t charge him rent and I’m still gonna try to take care of him until he’s done with college.

So goal-oriented!

My daughters are more than mad that he’s not paying anything. They believe him having a job means he can pay something.

They also believe I shouldn’t take care of everything for him if he has a job and he’s not paying rent.

I’m not charging him rent because he’s going to school. Him getting a job changes nothing in my mind.

He simply saw this as a golden opportunity and is running with it.

What a pickle.

AITA for forcing my daughter to get a job and charge rent while my son doesn’t have to pay anything because he went to school?

Ah, a classic case of promises made versus sibling rivalry.

Though everyone’s mad, Reddit’s verdict is that Mom is not the AH here.

This person says a deal’s a deal.

This person points out the rent is an all-time low.

This person says she’d even increase it!

Fair’s fair—hit the books, skip the rent.

Mom’s just playing by the rules.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a daughter who invited herself to her parents’ 40th anniversary vacation for all the wrong reasons.