Am I selfish for hiding my real income from my parents?

I am 27 years old and my family has three siblings. I live in Ho Chi Minh City, while my two older brothers live in the countryside.

I have a full-time job and some side jobs but my monthly income has only risen to about VND25 million since last year.

I feel that my income is a bit low for my age and could have been higher if it were not for the Covid-19 pandemic.

Every time I return to my hometown, my parents always ask how much money I make.

During my first year working, I gave them an honest answer.

But then my parents would tell my brothers, who proceeded to frequently ask me for money as they do not have stable jobs in the countryside.

They usually spend the borrowed money on eating out, drinking and gambling.

This Tet, I said my income was only VND12 million, using the economic downturn as an excuse.

I gifted my parents VND15 million for Tet, I still feel very guilty because they were reluctant to accept my gift, saying it was too much for my monthly income.

But I fear that if I had told them my real income, my brothers would have asked me for money.

So what do you think about this topic?

Reader Anh Kiet

*This opinion was translated into English by AI. Readers’ views are personal and do not necessarily match VnExpress’ viewpoints.