The Pressure For Kids To Leave Home At 18 Is Really Just A Ploy To Make People Pay More Rent
Living at home with your parents as an adult doesn't mean you can't succeed.
Carlos_Pascual | Shutterstock For many young adults, turning 18 signifies the beginning of adulthood. With that comes their desire to move out of their parents' house and be completely independent. But is it actually a good financial decision? Attachment specialist, Adam Lane Smith, thinks the whole thing is a big scheme, and the only people who benefit are in the real estate industry.
While some 18-year-olds may choose to leave home for college, employment opportunities, or personal independence, others may opt to continue living with their parents for various reasons, such as financial support or cultural norms. However, the people who continue living at home are often seen as being "less" of an adult, when in reality, moving out just means more bills to pay.
Is the pressure for kids to move out at 18 a 'psyop' to get more people to pay rent?
The topic was brought up in a tweet written by Smith, who argued that the expectation for children at 18 to immediately move out of their parents' home is a custom primarily used in Western civilization to get more young people to pay rent and bills.
"Reminder that 'your kids should leave home at 18' is a psyop by the central banks to make 10 [extended] family members pay 10 rents/mortgages, 10 sets of utilities, 10 car payments, and 10 of every item needed for a home, plus entertainment and stress relief to cope with being alone," Smith wrote.
He asserted that in the United States, parents will often tell their children aged 18 to 22 that it's "time for you to be alone" and that they will only learn true responsibility if they move out and get their own place. However, as soon as their parents retire and need help, their children are expected to move back home, which is an unhealthy retribution.
Moving out at an arbitrarily determined age of adulthood puts kids at a disadvantage.
Smith's tweet, which was shared on TikTok, garnered many reactions from people, who agreed that moving out at such a young age from your parent's house isn't seen as an accomplishment but merely the start of a burden when it comes to paying rent and other bills that wouldn't have to be a worry if young adults didn't view staying at home such a ludicrous idea.
"My daughter is moving back in and saving $2,000 per month," one TikTok user shared. "Rent is out of control." Another user added, "Back in the day, homes regularly had three generations living there. No daycare expenses, etc... We've come so far."
"I'm 30 still at home. I've helped my dad afford to fix things and replace broken appliances. Now he only has to work one job not two at almost 60 years old," a third user pointed out, while a fourth user inquired, "How much of our expectations in life are just capitalism enablers?"
In a YouTube Short, Shannen Michaela took Smith's assertion one step further, arguing that kids staying home benefits everyone in the family, and promotes financial independence that translates into generational wealth.
In European countries, it's perfectly acceptable for young adults to live at home with their parents.
The cultural significance of kids leaving home at the age of 18 can vary across different societies and cultures. According to the Pew Research Center, in 24 of the 29 European countries studied, more than one in three adults ages 18 to 34 lived in their parents’ homes in 2021.
WBMUL | Shutterstock
If done correctly with open communication and healthy boundaries, multi-generational households benefit everyone. In fact, research has shown that the benefits far outweigh any limitations. From childcare to a more equal distribution of household tasks, these households can thrive. Elderly family members live longer, happier lives, young children develop better social skills in multi-generational living, and most importantly, expenses are shared.
The constant shaming of adults who choose to stay at home with their parents ties back into the idea of the "American Dream." Anyone who wants to succeed in this country must work tirelessly, day in and day out, to be able to provide for themselves and detach from the less attractive belief of having to live with their parents.
However, that is not the dream anymore. With the average American debt at $58,604, it's becoming less and less possible for adults to afford to leave, and that's fine. This notion that as soon as you turn 18, you need to sever all ties with your parents and leave your childhood home in order to be seen as a "real adult" is a ridiculous proposal. Adulthood isn't defined by how quickly you can move out.
Outside of the United States, living with your family is considered normal. It's time we reevaluate this warped Westernized idea of what "success" as an adult needs to look like.
Nia Tipton is a staff writer with a bachelor’s degree in creative writing and journalism who covers news and lifestyle topics that focus on psychology, relationships, and the human experience.
