In this mother’s house, kiddos gotta pay to stay.
Keeping up with the high cost of living is anything but child’s play. And when it comes to collecting rent from her tweens, this no-nonsense landlord does not play around.
“They have to pay $5 every week for rent, and another $5 every week for utilities,” Taja Ashaka, a married mom of two, revealed in a viral vid, detailing the amount in dues her daughters fork over for room and board.
“This is due by 9:00 p.m. every Friday,” Ashaka explained to a TikTok audience of over 262,000, adding that the girls receive direct deposit payments into their bank accounts from her entrepreneurial business each week.
She and her husband have even decked-out each pre-teen’s bedroom door to resemble mini apartments. Their cutesy quarters come complete with apartment numbers, a doorbell, a welcome mat, and a mailbox — in which Ashaka leaves sweet notes and housekeeping reminders.
“If they do not have [their rent] paid by 9:01 p.m., their first notice is no phone for 24 hours, and they have to pay an extra dollar,” said Ashaka.
“The second notice is no phone for three days, [and a late fee of] $5,” she continued. “Third notice is an eviction with an extra $10 [late fee].”
In the event of an “eviction,” one or both girls are temporarily banned from their rooms and forced to reside in a common area of the house sans toys or a television. Privacy and room privileges are only restored once past-due rent is paid in full.
Digital detractors have deemed Ashaka’s rigid rent rules “stupid.”
But hey, mommy means business.
But she’s not being mean. Instead, she’s teaching her tots responsible money management.
It’s an invaluable life lesson (especially in this economy) that parents like Ashaka are happily homeschooling.
Samantha Bird makes her brood of three kids, all under 10, cough up half of their $6 per week allowances. Each of her tiny tenants pay $1 in rent, $1 for utilities and $1 toward food expenses.
“I want them to grasp the idea of it now while they’re little and this process still feels fun for them,” Bird said online, following a flurry of mixed reactions from both admirers and admonishers of her parenting prowess.
Cody and Erika Archie, however, caught virtual hellfire for charging their 19-year-old daughter $200 a month for remaining under their roof after high school graduation.
“Two hundred bucks a month is plenty cheap to live like a grub in your parents’ house,” Cody scoffed at the cyber critics who scolded him and his wife for their “harsh” demands.
Ashaka, on the other hand, has received heaps of praise for her pennywise program.
“Setting kids up for success,” cheered an impressed commenter.
“This is incredible! Learning responsibility while also guiding them along the way! Y’all are killin it!!,” another applauded.
“This is GENUIS,” a separate supporter raved. “Those kids will be independent and successful because of you momma! I am inspired!! Good job mama!!.”
