Retired Parents Admitting They're 'Screwing Over' Their Kids Sparks Debate

A dad has taken to Reddit to express how uneasy he feels about him and his wife retiring with a stable income and making lavish plans, while their children struggle to make ends meet with low income jobs and widespread unaffordability.

Redditor u/MozeDad explained that his excitement over retirement has been tarnished by the feeling that he and his wife are "screwing over" their children. Despite making plans to travel after leaving the work world, the dad said that he "can't enjoy a single minute" of it because he feels remorseful for his adult kids.

After last month's post went viral, with more than 18,300 upvotes, u/MozeDad told Newsweek that he received mixed reactions, including appreciation from young people who were grateful that he was acknowledging the current difficult financial climate.

"These kids are hungering for at least some acknowledgement from their parents that things are not equitable. Some of it sounded almost malicious, with parents mocking them for not being able to get a decent paying job, and flaunting their own luxurious lifestyle," he said. "There was also hostility from young people who accurately understand my generation's failure to share the wealth. This is valid anger and resentment. We are hoarding an inordinate amount of wealth rather than ceding it to them."

The burden of financial concerns is a heavy weight that many Americans bear the brunt of daily. A 2022 poll by Pew Research Center revealed that 25 percent of all parents had struggled to buy food for their family over the year prior, and 25 percent also struggled to pay their rent or mortgage.

Lower income homes are undoubtedly hit the hardest by rising costs, as 52 percent said there were times when they couldn't afford food in the last 12 months, compared to 17 percent of middle income homes, according to the poll.

In the Reddit post, the retiree explains that his children are "struggling to just stay afloat" with the rising costs of housing, student loans, insurance, and health care. He believes that the federal minimum wage, which is $7.25 per hour, is far too low, and should be increased to at least $25 an hour.

While the Redditor believes that it's a systemic problem that goes far beyond his own family, many people questioned why he wouldn't just give money to his children to help them out if he feels guilty. However, he told Newsweek that it's "a band-aid on a fatal societal wound" and it wouldn't resolve the issue.

"In my view, the social contract that has always fueled this country's greatness is currently on life support. Young people are painfully aware that they have been forgotten and they are going to respond by surrendering and declining to participate," u/MozeDad said.

After sharing his thoughts on the social media platform, u/MozeDad received over 2,800 responses as his comments triggered an interesting debate.

One comment reads: "You realizing/admitting this and having concern for your kids is more than a lot of parents out there, at least in older generations. I know that it would mean a lot to me if my parents just acknowledged what young people are going through."

Another Redditor wrote: "If you can help them out now then do so, but don't discount the fact that taking care of yourself is also a huge help to them."

While one person commented: "It's because many people from the 60-70 range have built their entire persona on how tough they had it and how much easier their kids have had it. While our childhoods may have been safer with a lot more comforts, the job market we have been left with is objectively worse than what they had."

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