The mother was furious after the stepfather shared his intentions with the family. She couldn't believe the things she was hearing. The man was acting absolutely insane.
Her 8-year-old son couldn't understand what he had done wrong to merit such a question. He felt as if he was being punished. His stepfather's ideas were questionable.
His Parents' Divorce
Charlie Green was a typical 8-year-old boy who enjoyed school and always carried a book around. His friends adored him, and he was his mother's pride and joy.
But the boy started acting out after Charlie's father divorced his mother and moved out of the house they were living in. Charlie didn't handle the divorce well despite the fact that his father was still part of his life. And his struggles wouldn't end there.
Just The Two Of Them
Charlie's mother, Mary Green, did her best to raise her son. She made countless sacrifices for him and even took a second job to help care for him.
It wasn't easy being a single mother, though. Charlie, who was only eight years old at the time, was a handful but made an effort to understand their situation. Unfortunately, the peace in their home would soon be broken.
A New Romance
It took some time, but Mary eventually found love again with a kind and thoughtful man she had met while working as a waitress. He was charming and had a good sense of humor - he seemed perfect.
Their romance bloomed, and even Charlie seemed to enjoy the man's company around the house. But how long would this last? Would the story have a sad ending for the boy?
A Beautiful Wedding
It wasn't long before Marie's boyfriend got down on one knee and asked her to marry him. They had a beautiful wedding ceremony that signaled the beginning of a beautiful new life together for the family. It was enchanting.
After the wedding, everyone was immensely happy for the newlyweds, but there was someone who didn't feel the same way. Marie had no idea what was about to happen.
Trying His Best
It was absolute bliss after that. Marie was happy with the new love she shared with another man and felt like she was in heaven. Especially considering her new husband had made an effort to be part of her son's life since they first met.
Charlie took a while to warm up to the man at first, despite his best efforts to be a model stepfather. But things would soon change for the whole family.
Difficult Times
Marie's husband lost his job a few months after the wedding. He fell into a deep depression, and nothing seemed to lift his spirits.
The entire family struggled, but Charlie was particularly affected by his stepfather's mental state. On top of everything else, the family faced some financial trouble.
Things Are Getting Better
After a while, the husband got a new job, and things started looking up again for the family. Everyone's moods seemed to improve. They even went to a nice restaurant to celebrate the family taking a step in the right direction.
No matter how hard he tried to get along with the child and make him happy, Charlie still struggled to accept the new man as his stepfather.
A 100$ Allowance
Marie and the stepfather decided to start giving the 8-year-old an allowance since their finances were beginning to get better. They were finally able to give it to him, and both thought he deserved it.
Charlie was delighted when his stepfather settled on $100 per month. Obviously, this meant he would have to pitch in more with the chores around the house, but that didn't matter. He could now buy toys and video games with his own money.
A Hidden Agenda
But the stepfather had a hidden agenda behind offering Charlie an allowance. The boy found it hard to believe. He had no idea what he had done wrong.
The mother was left speechless as well. She was unaware that when her husband gave Charlie an allowance, he had this in mind. What was happening?
What He Did
The stepfather revealed that he intended to charge his 8-year-old stepson $20 per month in living expenses. The money would be paid from the boy's allowance, which was $100 per month.
Charlie didn't like this rule at all, but there wasn't much he could do. If he protested too much, he might lose his entire allowance. It was then that his mother decided to step in.
Being Responsible
Despite the mother's objection, the stepfather still wanted to bill the boy $20 a month for living expenses. This still leaves the boy with $80. This bothered his mother. He was only a child, so his money should belong to him.
The man wanted to teach him about managing money, which he considered to be very important. He hadn't expected it to go so wrong.
Not Going To Happen
Then Marie asked, "What will happen if he doesn't pay? Would you make him leave the house?" The man was baffled by the questions.
The woman was undoubtedly against the idea. She thought he was too young to handle such responsibility, which would have a detrimental impact on him in the future. It was a bad idea, and she didn't want to see it implemented.
Traumatizing
The mother argued that it wasn't a good idea to tell an 8-year-old he would be deprived of his basic needs and that it would cause a lot of issues.
Being eight years old and believing that your parents are not supporting you and that you are a burden to them, and you must pay for your spot in their lives and home could be a traumatic experience. The youngster should feel comfortable in his own house. Although learning about money management is essential, there are better ways to teach him.
A Different Approach
The stepfather finally gave in and decided to compromise with the mother. They chose to secure the boy's financial future in a different way.
The boy's parents created a savings account for him in which they would deposit a specific monthly sum for his future needs. And leave Charlie's allowance untouched.