A Family’s Fight Over a College Fund—And How It Changed Everything
My life has always been about my kids. I wouldn’t have it any other way. I dreamed of a big, loving family, and now, with my amazing husband Tom by my side, that dream is real.
Tom is the kind of father who moves mountains for his family. No matter what life throws at us—money troubles, health scares, family drama—he never backs down. He always finds a way to fix things.
One of the smartest things he ever did? Starting college funds for our kids.
Back when we were newlyweds, barely making ends meet, he insisted on it.
“Education is the one thing nobody can ever take away from them,” he told me. “We might not leave them money or a house, but we can give them opportunities.”
So, every month, no matter how tight things got, we saved.
When our first daughter, Maddie, was born, we opened an account for her. Then came Kate, Liam, and little June. And now, with baby number five on the way, we’ve already started saving for them too.
But life doesn’t always go as planned.
When Maddie was 16, she got pregnant.
I’ll never forget that day in the doctor’s office, hearing the news. My heart dropped. Maddie was supposed to finish school, go to college, chase her dreams. Instead, she became a teenage mom.
It was hard. She dropped out of high school, moved in with her boyfriend Jason, and had two kids. Tom and I helped where we could—groceries, diapers, babysitting. But deep down, I always hoped she’d go back to school someday.
Meanwhile, our other kids were thriving. Kate, now 17, got accepted into her dream college to become a veterinarian. Liam, 15, was already eyeing engineering programs. Even little June, at just five years old, was a bookworm with a bright future.
I was proud of all of them.
But then, everything exploded.
Last week, Kate was at Maddie’s apartment, gushing about her college plans.
“I’m using my college fund,” Kate said casually.
Maddie froze. “Wait… we ALL have college funds?”
I took a deep breath. “Yes. We saved for all of you.”
Maddie’s eyes lit up like she’d just won the lottery. She immediately called Jason, excited.
“Babe! I have a college fund! My parents saved money for me!”
My stomach twisted. I knew where this was going.
“Maddie,” I said carefully, “that money is for education. If you want to use it, you’ll need to finish your GED or go to trade school. Then, whatever’s left, you can keep.”
Her face darkened. “Are you kidding me? Kate gets to spend hers however she wants, but I have to jump through hoops?”
“Kate is using hers for college,” I said. “That’s exactly what it’s for.”
Maddie stormed out, furious.
The next day, she called me in tears, begging for the money. “We need this, Mom! It could change everything for us!”
I held firm. “Education first, Maddie. Then the rest is yours.”
That’s when she snapped.
“You’re punishing me for getting pregnant!” she screamed. “You care more about Kate than me!”
My heart shattered. But before I could even process her words, Jason’s family jumped in—and it got ugly.
His mother called me, shouting into the phone.
“You owe them that money!” she yelled. “Maddie is your daughter!”
Then Jason grabbed the phone, his voice icy.
“That money is rightfully ours,” he demanded. “Maddie’s not going back to school. She has kids. Be realistic.”
His sister screamed in the background: “This money should stay in OUR family! What you’re doing is disgusting!”
Jason wasn’t done. “You saved that money for Maddie, not for some fantasy about college. She’s 22 with two kids. Hand it over.”
The entitlement in his voice made my blood boil. They weren’t just asking—they were demanding, like we owed them.
I hung up, but the calls kept coming. Jason’s whole family ganged up on us, insisting we were being unfair.
The worst part? Seeing what it did to Maddie.
She showed up at our house later, shaking.
“Mom… I didn’t know they’d say those things,” she whispered. “I didn’t ask them to attack you.”
I hugged her tight.
And then, it hit me.
Jason’s family didn’t see Maddie’s potential. To them, she wasn’t a person with dreams—she was just a way to get money.
Three days later, Maddie called me with life-changing news.
“I left Jason,” she said. “After what he and his family said… I realized they only saw me as a paycheck.”
A month later, she enrolled in GED classes. Now, she’s applying to cosmetology school—using her college fund the way it was meant to be used.
Tom and I couldn’t be prouder.
Maddie chose her self-worth over a life of being used. And we’ll stand by her every step of the way as she builds the future she deserves.
Because that’s what family does.
We love you, Maddie. Always have, always will.