Would you ask your child to hand over their birthday money to pay for the household utilities?
An overseas mother of three is facing the wrath of social media after posting a video online asking her 13-year-old son to give her the money he received for his birthday so that she could use it to pay the outstanding electricity bill.
The video garnered more than 15.5 million views on social media.
In the viral clip, the teenager and his two other siblings gang up on their mom to deny her the money. They were not subtle about how they felt and neither were netizens who took to the comments thereafter.
The video shows the mother in the car saying: "All the stuff I do for you as a mother, literally I take care of you, I feed you, I cook, I do all that stuff and all I did, I asked you for your birthday money so that I can pay the lighting.
"You don't wanna give me the birthday money, so I am taking the PS5 so that I can get the money so the bill can be paid ... When I come to you as a mother and tell you there's an issue, I need help, you help."
The teenager responded: "How you gonna ask for my birthday money, that I got, to pay the light bill and why you trying to take my PS5 away?
The mom said: "Well you can't play the PS5 anyway if there's gonna be no lights in our house", to which he responded: "You should have not been going out so much, you would have had the money. What happened to the income tax money?
The smallest sibling, who is referred to as Lehlani, chips in with: "Why are you out so much? I'm tired of you going out. You need to spend time with us and you need to spend money on your bills.
Soon after, the mother silences Lehlani by asking him to "stay in a child's place", but her other daughter said: "You asking to stay in a child's place but you asking my brother to pay your bills ... You need to start spending money on us and stop spending money on yourself and your little boyfriend.
At this point, the mother quickly stops the recording, but not before saying: "I'm going to whip you alls a**."
Watch the video below.
13-year-old refuses to give up his birthday money to his mom so she can pay the bills 👀
— My Mixtapez (@mymixtapez) February 24, 2025
pic.twitter.com/xGRltiyfiO
The video, which might just be a skit, certainly shows the reality that some children have to face.
One user wrote: "What’s crazy it doesn’t matter if it’s a skit it’s somebody actual real life going on right now in real time. Every movie every sitcom is inspired by something and this get right here. It’s true life events."
@blackkingkofi commented: "He's not wrong. He's a child she needs to get her priorities together. Why is she trying to take away money from him that was a gift?
He's not wrong. He's a child she needs to get her priorities together. Why is she trying to take away money from him that was a gift?
@Naijella86 commented: "I’m in two minds on this because if she is genuinely struggling, I see nothing wrong with explaining to a 13-year-old child that she’s in dire straits and needs to pay the electricity bill, but will give him the money back at the later date, but at the same time should a 13 year-old carry that burden?"
I’m in two minds on this because if she is genuinely struggling, I see nothing wrong with explaining to a 13-year-old child that she’s in dire straits and needs to pay the electricity bill, but will give him the money back at the later date, but at the same time Should a 13…
Meanwhile, others jokingly blamed the mother on spending all the electricity money on her fancy manicure.
@Kathywill1951 said: "I notice she’s been to the salon….maybe she should have put that $100 nail money towards the light bill lol."
So true…I notice she’s been to the salon….maybe she should have put that $100 nail money towards the light bill lol