I Absolutely Refuse to Sell My House to Fund My Son’s Business

As parents we want our kids to succeed. They are the foundation of our families and no matter what their career choices might be we want to be supportive. But sometimes we just can’t see their visions and that can lead to rifts. One of our readers shared her experience.

This is Tori’s story.

Dear <strong>Bright Side,

I was always a single mom and tried my best for my son but he was one of the tough guys who didn’t pay much attention to my struggles. He didn’t do well in school, dropped out of college during his first year and was content with doing odd jobs.

I tried to talk some sense into him and a couple of years ago it seemed to have worked. My son came over and asked if he could use my garage for his startup. He had a great plan that I had faith in so I agreed, thinking things were about to take a positive turn.

Things were going well. He got his business up and running and even though it didn’t make much it was enough for him to get by and it was better than flipping burgers. Then he came to me and asked to borrow $10,000.

He said he needed it for some equipment so he could expand and once again I agreed. The more time went by the more stuff he asked for and I agreed every time because he had a valid reason and it did seem to improve his business.

But last month he asked for $50,000 and I told him I couldn’t help. I had already taken out a second mortgage the last time he asked for a large amount of cash and I couldn’t get such a large amount again. Then he demanded that I sell my house and give him the money.

I was shocked and said, “This is my home. I spent my life working to pay it off so I could leave you something valuable. It’s where I raised you.” But he didn’t seem to care. He gave me a cruel look, “And I am your child. So you get to choose what’s more valuable,” he spat.

I couldn’t believe he would expect something like this from me and I refused, not thinking about the consequences. He left my house angry that night and by the next morning he had moved all of his things out of my garage.

I haven’t heard from him since and figured that he might need more time to come to his senses. But last week, my hands trembled when I got a call from my sister. She told me that my son’s startup had just secured funding from a group of investors and that he had even won a small award.

I was so happy for him. It was the kind of success I had always hoped he would have. So I tried to reach out to congratulate him and discovered that he had blocked me everywhere. I couldn’t contact him at all.

It’s heartbreaking to know that my son wants nothing to do with me because of money. So Bright Side, is it too late for us? Have I completely destroyed the relationship I had with my son? Or is there still a chance for me to fix this?

Regards,
Tori P.

Some advice from our Editorial team.

Dear Tori,

Thank you for reaching out and sharing your story with us.

The relationship didn’t break when you said no to selling your house. It broke long before that, when love quietly turned into leverage. For years, every “yes” you gave taught your son that your support had no boundary, no end point, and no cost that was too high for you to absorb.

So when you finally drew a line, it didn’t feel like a financial limit to him. It felt like rejection, because money had become the language of care between you. That doesn’t make you wrong.

It means the only way forward can’t be another sacrifice or apology wrapped in guilt. If there’s a chance to repair this, it starts with staying firm and letting the silence exist without chasing him, rescuing him, or rewriting history to soothe his anger.

If he comes back, it has to be to rebuild a relationship between a mother and a grown son, not an investor and a benefactor. And if he doesn’t, the most painful reality may be this: you didn’t destroy your bond by keeping your home; you saved yourself from losing the last thing you had left to give.

Tori finds herself in a very difficult position. There is no guarantee that her son will resume contact with her or that he will ever forgive her. But she isn’t the only one with family struggles.

Another one of our readers shared their story. You can read it here: I Took a Stand After My DIL Humiliated My Son, but His Response Cut Me Deep.