April 27, 2026 at 7:55 pm

Teen Asked Her Parents For Permission To Get A Job For Two Years And Got Shut Down Every Time, So When Her Stepdad Started Pocketing Her Cash Earnings She Realized The Control Was The Point

by Benjamin Cottrell

upset teenage girl

Pexels/Reddit

Teaching a teenager the value of money is a great parenting move, but controlling every dollar they earn and pocketing it for yourself teaches a very different lesson.

One teen had been asking to work since she was legally old enough, but her parents made it very clear she wasn’t going to earn any money on their watch.

Keep reading for the full story!

AITA For Being Mad About Not Getting a Job?

I (17F) have been begging my parents to let me get a job since I turned 15 and could work at the local supermarket.

They won’t let me have a job while I’m in school, as I need to focus — which I can agree with.

But she’s starting to feel the financial constraints of this.

They also won’t let me get a summer job so I can have a small amount of money saved in my own bank account with a popular bank used across the USA.

Her parents don’t seem to think she can be responsible with the money.

The only way they will let me is if it’s wired to their account and I don’t get to spend it.

They said I can access $10 a week of my own money.

I’m frustrated.

They think she should go about making money a different way.

They keep telling me I can work around our community doing hard labor and take cash.

But when I have cash, my stepdad takes it for himself — and he has a high-earning job.

But this doesn’t make her feel good at all.

Now I’m being called a spoiled brat and told I can wait until I’m 18 to get a job.

Now I just feel like a jerk for wanting money set aside for myself when they already provide for me.

AITA?

It’s admirable this teen wants to be more self sufficient — and her parents should encourage that.

What did Reddit have to say?

Maybe working for cash is better than not working at all.

Screenshot 2026 04 08 at 5.09.49 PM Teen Asked Her Parents For Permission To Get A Job For Two Years And Got Shut Down Every Time, So When Her Stepdad Started Pocketing Her Cash Earnings She Realized The Control Was The Point

Maybe someone other than her parents could help her put away some money.

Screenshot 2026 04 08 at 5.10.38 PM Teen Asked Her Parents For Permission To Get A Job For Two Years And Got Shut Down Every Time, So When Her Stepdad Started Pocketing Her Cash Earnings She Realized The Control Was The Point

Maybe it’s time to be a little more secretive with her parents when it comes to money.

Screenshot 2026 04 08 at 5.11.01 PM Teen Asked Her Parents For Permission To Get A Job For Two Years And Got Shut Down Every Time, So When Her Stepdad Started Pocketing Her Cash Earnings She Realized The Control Was The Point

Once she’s finally out of her parents house, she can finally get a taste of the independence she’s been craving.

Screenshot 2026 04 08 at 5.11.47 PM Teen Asked Her Parents For Permission To Get A Job For Two Years And Got Shut Down Every Time, So When Her Stepdad Started Pocketing Her Cash Earnings She Realized The Control Was The Point

If she earns the money, she more than deserves to keep it.

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.