Dad sparks fierce debate after PAYING his daughter, 22, £12 per hour to lose weight in the gym
FOR most parents, it's only natural to worry about your child's bad habits after they've moved out - whether they're eating enough vegetables or doing their laundry on a regular basis.
However, one dad has sparked fierce debate online after he admitted to PAYING his daughter to exercise now that she lives on her own.
Posting on , the concerned father explained: "I have grown increasingly worried for my daughter's weight. It has gotten beyond the point of merely an aesthetic issue and I have genuine concerns about her health."
The anonymous American father explained how his daughter, 22, is a postgraduate student and is now living in another town for her studies.
"Our arrangement is that I pay for her tuition and rent," he explained. "And she has a part-time job that covers groceries, utility bills, spending money etc."
Although the parent says the arrangement works well, he went on to say how his daughter often tells him she "wishes she earned more money" for "leisure activities and clothes".
He also revealed that he has tried to speak to his daughter about her size before - only for his daughter to tell him she struggles to muster the motivation to exercise between school and her part-time job.
Seeing her money struggles as an opportunity to encourage his daughter to lose weight, the dad added: "I suggested that if she start going to the gym, I would give her extra money.
"This is to serve as a motivator but also for practical reasons as she can pick up fewer shifts at her job and have more time to go to the gym."
The father then revealed that he pays his daughter $15 [£12] an hour to work out in the gym as he "did not think it was appropriate to pay her by pounds lost", fearing this would lead to unhealthy eating habits.
I suggested that if she started going to the gym, I would give her extra money. This is to serve as a motivator but also for practical reasons as she can pick up fewer shifts at her job and have more time to go to the gym.
Admitting that his wife is "disgusted" by the arrangement, the father asked other Reddit users if he was in the wrong.
The father's dilemma has since racked up over 1,000 comments and sparked fierce debate among users.
Although they didn't think the dad was in the wrong, one replied: "Please please please please don't do this.
"My mum has spent the last 10 years of my life trying to control my weight with bribes, with paying for personal trainers, with all sorts. All it did was push a wedge between us.
"At one point she kept an excel spreadsheet of my weight. I know you're doing this because you care about her but I promise you this will become the central focus of your relationship and that is not what you want."
Another added: "I can see it's out of love but please be careful that this doesn't turn and bite you.
"[You're not the a*****] if she accepts your help and goes along with it. Motivation comes in different forms."
A third wrote: "Most parents handle this much differently - either pushing adult children into diets or bullying them into losing weight. This sounds like an ideal alternative."
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