Spoiled Son’s Demands for Cash in Exchange for Chores Will Leave You Speechless

A teenage boy demands that his parents pay him for doing his household chores and learns a painful lesson.

Wesley pushed his plate away. “I’m tired of meatloaf,” he complained. “Can’t you make something else?” he asked his mother.

His mom looked at him, surprised. “We had roast chicken yesterday, hamburgers the day before, and fish on Friday…”

Wesley sniffed. “Yeah, yeah… whatever!” and got up from the table.

“Wesley,” said his mother. “Please rinse your plate and put it in the dishwasher.”

“Why should I?” Wesley asked. “I’m not your slave!”

“My slave?” his mom gasped. “How can helping out be like being a slave?”

“You don’t pay me, do you?” Wesley said, smiling. “Work without pay is slavery!”

Wesley’s dad frowned. “We support you, son,” he said. “We give you a home, food, clothes, and education…”

“That’s your duty, and it’s my right!” Wesley argued. “And the law says you have to do it, but I don’t have to do anything!”

His mom’s face turned red. “So, we have duties, and you have rights? What about your duty to help with chores?”

“I’m not your slave,” Wesley said. “If you want me to do chores, you should pay me!”

His mom was angry, but his dad remained calm. “Pay you?” he asked. “How much do you want for your chores?”

Wesley smiled. “For taking out the trash, $1. For washing dishes, $2. Walking the dog, $4. Cleaning my room, $5. And for cleaning the yard and mowing the lawn, $10. And you’re lucky I’m not asking for back pay.”

“Never!” cried his mom, but his dad smiled.

“I agree,” said his father. “We’ll pay you for your chores. From now on, you’re a man, and we’ll treat you as one.”

Wesley puffed out his chest. “It’s about time you showed me some respect!” he said, walking out feeling proud.

“Well, son, we start tomorrow, OK?” his dad said. “I’ll put up a chart, and you can write down your chores. We’ll pay you at the end of the week.”

“Perfect!” Wesley said, not knowing that he was about to have one of the worst weeks of his life.

Later, Wesley’s mom turned to his dad. “How could you let him do this? He’s disrespectful and lazy! He needs to learn a lesson,” she said.

Rick smiled. “Don’t worry, Martha. I have a plan. Wesley is in for an unpleasant surprise!”

The next day, after football practice, Wesley came home, hungry. “What’s for dinner?” he asked.

“Turkey pot-pie with sweet potatoes and peas,” his mom said.

“Cool!” Wesley said, looking at the new chore chart his dad had put up. He filled in walking the dog and cleaning his room. “That’s $9 already! I’m going to be rich!”

An hour later, Wesley went to the kitchen, but he found his parents eating dinner. “Mom!” he said. “You didn’t call me! I’m starving!”

His mom smiled. “Well, now that you’re earning money, if you want me to cook for you, you’ll need to pay me.”

“PAY HER?” screamed Wesley. “I’m not paying her!”

“Then you’ll have to order takeout,” his mom said, still smiling.

“But that’s not fair!” Wesley yelled and stormed upstairs. He ordered a pizza, costing $15, plus delivery and tip. Wesley realized he would have to work three whole days to pay for that pizza. Being independent wasn’t as cheap as he thought!

The next morning, Wesley came downstairs to smell bacon and eggs. “Can I have my eggs over easy?” he asked.

“Sure,” his mom said. “That will be $6.”

“You’re charging me for breakfast?” Wesley cried.

Later, Wesley went to his dad. “The coach said we need new jerseys for $69.99,” he told him.

“I see,” his dad said, smiling. “But why are you telling me this?”

“To get the money!” Wesley said.

“But now that you’re earning money, you’ll pay for your own things,” his dad explained. “That’s how it works.”

“I don’t have that much money!” Wesley said. “How am I supposed to get $70?”

“Save it from your chores, of course,” his dad replied.

Wesley was shocked. Not only would he have to buy his own food, but also his clothes? This wasn’t what he expected when he asked for money for chores. “Well, OK,” he said. “Can you give me a ride to school? I’m late…”

“Sure, son,” his dad said. “That will be $5.50.”

“You’re charging me for a ride to school?” Wesley gasped.

“Of course! You’d pay a taxi, wouldn’t you?” his dad said.

“But you’re my dad!” Wesley yelled.

“Oh, and by the way,” his mom added, “that’ll be $12.50 for washing and ironing your clothes.”

Wesley walked to school late and ate cafeteria food, wondering when he’d taste his mom’s home-cooked meals again.

That night, he came downstairs to find his parents eating dinner, and the smell made him hungry. “Mom, Dad, can we talk?” he asked quietly.

“Sure, son,” his dad replied.

“I’m sorry about everything,” Wesley said. “I didn’t realize everything you do for me, and you never ask for anything in return.”

“We were hoping you’d understand that, Wesley,” his mom said. “We do everything out of love, not obligation.”

“I know, Mom,” Wesley said, tears filling his eyes. “I’m really sorry.”

His dad hugged him. “In this family, we all help each other. That’s what family is about.”

Wesley’s mom hugged him too. “How about some dinner? I made cottage pie and green beans—your favorite!”

That night, Wesley had a great evening with his parents and learned an important lesson: to appreciate all that they do for him and help his family too.