When is a child an adult?

[cyleet99]

Re: When is a child an adult?

Amati, you hit the nail on the head.

[Amati]

Re: When is a child an adult?

Amati, you hit the nail on the head.

Well, that is what all my kids have heard when they turned 18.

[Nords]

Re: When is a child an adult?

But an 18 year old who still lives at home (supported by parents), or is in college (paid by parents), should they still be under the scrutiny of the parents?

Earlier this decade, spouse's parents lived with us for a couple months and then moved into our rental home. For the next six years they were living in "our home" and were "supported by us".

Despite this role reversal, every aspect of our life was still subject to their parental scrutiny, even though they'd hypothetically been out of the parenting business for over 20 years. So in the eyes of some parents, a child is never an adult.

But I'd agree with your definition that an adult is self-supporting. I think it happens a lot sooner with teens when the parents have given them the tools and the training to be able to make those self-supporting decisions. If the parent just slams shut the checkbook then those tools & training end up coming from somewhere (or someone) else...