Sometimes, adult children find themselves parenting their parents. For example, some children end up growing up to be more financially responsible than their parents.

What would you do if your parent asked to borrow money to do something frivolous?

Read how one Redditor struggles with this situation — and how Reddit suggests he navigate it.

See the story below for all the details.

WIBTA if I tried to stop my mother from going on a trip because she needed to borrow money from me?

I’m 23M. My mother (59F) is a fan of a regional theme park a somewhat significant distance away from where we live.

It’s a moderately famous theme park, not Disney levels of sophisticated or expensive, but around the levels of Six Flags.

Recently, my mother’s asked me if I wanted to go with her and my sisters (both 18F) to the park.

At first, I said yes, because I enjoy it too.

But then came the twist.

However, she told me that she’d need to borrow money from me for food and gas, because she was low on money.

I told her that if she needed to borrow money from me to pay for food and gas, then she probably shouldn’t go at all.

She responded by saying that the tickets were free (technically false; she bought season passes for herself and my sisters) and our accommodations were free (true, we have a family friend who rents out a cabin up in the mountains, and she offers it up to us occasionally, with this being one of the occasions).

I told her that if accommodations and tickets were “free”, and she needed to borrow money from me to pay for food and gas, then she definitely shouldn’t go at all.

We bickered for a brief moment, before I had to go to work, and we ended the conversation with me telling her, “You do what you want,” and her saying, “I am.”

However, this behavior is not new.

This is a conversation my mother and father have had many times, before my father gave up on trying to control my mother’s spending habits.

I don’t want to go into detail, largely because some of my family members use Reddit and might see this, but my father gave up after an argument led to him having an emotional outburst and destroying some groceries my mom had bought.

We’re not exactly broke, but many times my mother has talked about having two digit bank balances, and often borrows money from me, and I’m worried about what’s going to happen on this trip.

My mom is stubborn and will likely go on the trip no matter what I or anyone else may say. Regardless, would I be the jerk if I tried to convince her not to go?

Was OP right in refusing to pay for the trip? Let’s see what Reddit says in the comments below.

First, a commenter provided a metaphor.

Then, someone reminded him that he’s not obligated to do anything.

Another Redditor said it was unlikely the son would stop her anyway.

And finally, a reader admitted convincing her was a waste of time.

This son needs to disengage.

If you thought that was an interesting story, check this one out about a man who created a points system for his inheritance, and a family friend ends up getting almost all of it.