"Don't tell the other parent" and I'm stuck in the middle
So, first of, I (29,nb) am a loser NEET and have been for years. I have mental health issues, resolved so far and in therapy, but it makes it so much harder to find a job, even at a supermarket and stuff.
I've been living on my own since 2020 and had to move this July bc my landlord wants to move his family into my old apartment.
Looking for a new place with a limited budget was extremely hard, no landlord would even look at me, but one broker pitied me (I look very sad and helpless I guess) and found me a one room apartment so I was able to move in quickly.
Now my "problem" and I totally understand it's a stupid problem to have but: My parents (divorced since 2014, hate eachother, no contact) both want to buy me furniture and stuff and both asked to "not tell the other".
My mum has those amazing interior design skills and has a clear vision of what to do with my new studio, but damn it's gonna be expensive, like 2k euros. She said she can't give it to me as a gift but I can pay her back eventually once I find a job. She also has strong opinions about me living in a shithole apartment but she's not the kind to force it on me, more like being eternally disappointed if she would ever visit my place (she refused to visit the old one too bc she found it ugly and tbh it was moldy too and made her asthma worse).
My dad is more easygoing and like more more the pragmatic type, just like me. Doesn't have to pretty, just functional and he's also agreed to help me (with like a flyscreen door to my balcony, a wardrobe, some shelves and catproofing my balcony and he's not asking for me to repay him) but those things don't really fit into my mums concept of a really nice place.
Both of them were like "don't tell your mother/father" and I'm not sure why except to feel "better" by helping more than the other?
I do feel very anxious about being a burden to anyone and accepting help, especially something "big" like this weighs heavy on me but thats something therapy is for.
My real question is: What do I do now? Not tell the other one? Mum will definitely notice a furniture piece she didn't "approve" or more like plan for and my dad definitely knows I'm in no place to buy pretty furniture just like that.
Posted Jul 4, 2026, 6:38 PM UTC