I am a single mother and I will make my children pay rent when they are five – they will also pay for gas
A WOMAN has left people stunned after revealing she will start charging her children rent when they turn five.
Nikita Shakira22, a single mother of two who became pregnant at 17 and had to drop out of school as a result, explained that she will make her children, now four and four months old, do household chores and pay for gas, electricity and water.
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The young woman, originally from the United Kingdom, admitted that she is often judged for being a young mother and shared the ‘rules’ she has for her children.
She claimed that her children “must pay rent at the age of five,” “must do household chores,” and “must learn to cook and cook for the whole family at least once a week from the age of 12,” among many other conditions.
Social media users were shocked by Nikita’s claim that she will start charging her children rent once they start primary school.
Someone said: “The rent at 5 is ridiculous. I’m 17 with a job and my mom still won’t charge me rent or take ANY money from me.”
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Another added: “How is a 5 year old going to pay the rent? Working 9 to 5 in an office?”
A third commented: “These rules are ridiculous.”
While someone else asked: “Renting for 5? Please tell me this is a joke?”
In response, the content creator uploaded a follow-up clip to her TikTok account, under the username @nikita_shakira4and confirmed, “Okay, I’m going to answer this question, so the video it came from contains controversial rules that I have for my kids.
“Yes, I’m going to charge my five-year-old rent.”
But Nikita claimed that what may seem like a “controversial” rule is actually a way to teach her children financial literacy.
She added: “What will essentially happen is that they will do chores during the week and at the end of the week they will get a fixed amount of money.
“They pay a fixed amount for water, a fixed amount for electricity, a fixed amount for gas and a fixed amount for rent.
Is pocket money a good idea?
Advantages:
- Financial literacy:Pocket money can teach children the basics of finance, saving and budgeting from an early age.
- ResponsibilityReceiving pocket money regularly can instill a sense of responsibility and independence in children, as they learn to make their own decisions about their spending.
- Incentive for choresBy linking pocket money to household chores, you can motivate children to contribute to the family and teach them the value of work.
Disadvantages:
- Right:There is a risk that children expect to receive pocket money without realising how much effort it takes to earn it.
- MaladministrationWithout proper guidance, children can develop poor spending patterns, such as impulse buying.
- Peer inequality:Different amounts of pocket money can lead to feelings of inferiority or jealousy in children, especially compared to their peers.
In conclusion, pocket money can be a valuable tool for teaching financial responsibility, but it requires careful management and guidance to ensure it serves its educational purpose.
“This will probably only be £1 per person, but the rest they can keep and spend as they wish.
“They can put it in a savings account, go to the store, buy candy, whatever.”
They pay a fixed amount for water, a fixed amount for electricity, a fixed amount for gas, a fixed amount for rent
Nikita Shakira
Nikita stressed that she won’t actually use the money to pay her rent, but that she has come up with a clever plan.
She continued: ‘But the money they give me, I put into a savings account for them, for when they’re older.
I understand that as a teenager, but when you’re five??
TikTok user
“I’m going to try to teach them financial skills, but they also get the money back, if that makes sense.
“They can use this money however they want when they’re older – to buy a house, a car, whatever they want.”
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But social media users were divided over Nikita’s plan.
One user wrote: “That’s actually very smart, you’re teaching them some really important financial skills and the difficulties that come with it. Well done.”
While someone else asked, “I had that in my teens, but at 5?”
Nikita responded to this, claiming, “Instead of me saying no to toys in the store, he gets his own money.
“If he wants something bigger, he’ll use those financial skills to save and get it. Not just get what they want.”
She also confirmed: “With just the money I’ve put aside from this, I’m hoping to get about £4-5k for them, it’s a start. And then interest on top of that.”
