How would you consider a child who lives in the parents home compared to one who lives at a separate address?

2020-04-18T22:38:02-04:00

Many times children are berated because they choose to live at home after college. They have gainful employment, their own transportation, money in the bank, and they contribute to the household. Some of these children choose to invest and plan for their future without incurring more financial responsibilities that take away from their ability to begin to build monetary security. In contrast, there are those who choose to embark on their own apartment, a new car, a new wardrobe, and marriage/children. In quite a few cases, these individuals end up having their parents float them financially or moving back home with a tremendous amount of debt and a full family. In my humble opinion, individuals who find the wisdom to live at home and plan a strategy are just as self sufficient and adult responsible as the ones who choose not to live at home and still realize their goals.

Response by SPC Nancy Greene made Apr 18 at 2020 10:42 PM

2020-04-18T22:42:00-04:00

Definitely Agree with this logic!
however; in some cases, the parents have moved on & down-sized and then the child ir children have to become financially independent...

Response by LTC Stephen C. made Apr 18 at 2020 10:45 PM

2020-04-18T22:45:34-04:00

Children aren’t always free to choose to live at the home of their parents after college, PO3 Phyllis Maynard. All the things you mention are well and good, but they can only remain there if their parents approve and acquiesce.
In any event, I personally believe that when a child graduates from college, they should leave the nest.

Response by SGT Steve McFarland made Apr 18 at 2020 11:01 PM

2020-04-18T23:01:31-04:00

After I got out of the Army, I moved back home for a few months to work and save some money, so that when I got married, we had the resources to buy our first house. Once we were settled, I quit my fulltime job and went to college for a couple of years. My wife worked fulltime and I worked part-time, so with my GI Bill, we were able to live modestly. After I graduated from college, I took a job in another state, so we sold our house and moved. We were never dependent on either of our families.

Had I gone to college right after high school, I probably would have lived at home and gone to a local college, but I chose to join the Army instead.

Response by CSM Charles Hayden made Apr 18 at 2020 11:10 PM

2020-04-18T23:10:37-04:00

Case by case; ‘real’ parents should not become enablers. PO3 Phyllis Maynard

Response by LTC Stephen F. made Apr 19 at 2020 6:14 AM

2020-04-19T06:14:39-04:00

Thank you my friend and sister-in-Christ PO3 Phyllis Maynard for posting.
My youngest son who is 29 years old was evicted from his apartment because they raised the salary required to stay after he stayed at that apartment for over six years. He is moving back in with us after he paid to have the garage renovated.
My youngest son died on September 28, 1991 and the LORD raised him in my arms back to life.

Response by LCDR Joshua Gillespie made Apr 20 at 2020 3:47 PM

2020-04-20T15:47:44-04:00

Depends on MANY variables. Twenty years ago, we lived in different times. I left home at seventeen because it was "my time". I was well into my 30s before I bought my first home however. A decade and a half of renting taught me two valuable lessons... First, you're wasting money paying someone for a doss you have to surrender whenever your situation (or the land lord's) changes. Second, it's pretty much a bad idea to commit to a mortgage if your career and life situation is constantly in flux. In another thirteen years, if my son decides it's "his time" to move out... I hope he's wise enough to comprehend that a home isn't as much of an "investment" as it once was, that experience and maturity have to have time to "catch up" with one's financial ambitions... and that if he needs to have a secure place to re-group, re-load, or re-build; he's always welcome back at Home Plate... so long as he has a plan for how to get back into the game.