Hope your kids don’t read this article
I read an article in The Age by Gab Doquille not that long ago entitled ‘Why parents should kick adult children out of home’.
It was a conundrum to me.
She said that in her house kids are treated with respect, their opinions are valued and they have the same rights as she and her husband.
She also says that she firmly believes that kids don’t grow up until they move out of home. So be it; does it really matter when that happens? From my point of view they’ll grow up, when they grow up.
I don’t think we are preventing them from growing up Gab. I think we need to support our young adults in the choices that they make – not force our opinions upon them.
Why would you force a child to leave home if they don’t want to? In the spirit of the article I’m talking about 18 year olds, not 28 year olds.
And if their brains don’t develop until they are 24 years old, as you say Gab, then it doesn’t seem quite right to kick them out at 18 years old. And you paying their rent doesn’t seem to fit the “grow up” model to me.
I just don’t think life is that complicated. Ask the child if s/he wants to move out. If yes, assist in her/his decision making to enable that to happen at some time in the future; if not, let it be till s/he is ready.
And you lost me Gab when you said “I am looking forward to the time when it is just my husband and I at home, and life does not revolve solely around the kids”.
Hope your kids don’t read this article.
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