Can my 18 year old son move out on his own legally?

Originally Posted by troubled dad I have five children. My oldest is an 18 year old male. He is basically a good kid. He's not doing as well as his mother and I would like in school and has decided that he will now do what he wants since he has turned 18. He comes and goes as he pleases. If I tell him not to go somewhere he'll ask his mother or in some cases will leave without anyone's permission. I worry about him being with the wrong crowd and being out after 11:00 pm. I'm growing very frustrated and don't know what else to try with him. My question is can my 18 year old son legally move out on his own? Thank you for your time.

UUHHHH Duh. Thats why when everyone turns 18 they're so excited. Because they can move out and go to college and start their own life. Go ahead, let him. He'll see how hard it really is and that life isn't a ball of fun all the time.

I am also running into that with my parents. I am 17, and dating an older Woman. My parents do not approve and my mom actually just told me that she is not gonna allow me to see her anymore, but i love her, I really do. I am planning on marrying her and moving in with my girlfriend, then wife, and her mother. I turn 18 in September, by that time, my girlfriend will be twenty. I am a junior in high school, and am graduating Spring of 2012. But I am seriously considering moving out in Fall of 2011 and continuing to a stupid private school my parents have put me in...
I am just saying that my parents are pushing me away A LOT because they won't let me be myself...

I am 18 and a senior in high school in Michigan. I just recently moved out of my parents house because of family conflict. My advise to your son would be, if you have a place to live and can support yourself while still attending school then moving out til' college isn't terribly hard. But I do advise you to be rational about your decision. Having all the freedom you want isn't just a walk in the park, you have way more responsibility then ever after moving out. To the parents, if your son does decided to move out you should check on him periodically to make sure he is ok and ask if he does need anything. I say this because my parents basically stepped out of my life and that made the transition so much harder to face. But i do wish both the parents and son the best of luck.

My son is 17 currently and will be turning 18 in October..He was struggling in school and ended up in re-hab for about a month and is now out of school. He got his GED and has a decent job and is supposed to start CNA classes this fall..However he is not responsible when it comes to the house, example keeping his room picked up, picking up after himself in general. He wants to have priviledges and me run him places (since he doesnt currently have a car) and has been very hateful lately but still expects me to do things for him..I am very frustrated to say the least. I do not want to see him run out and try to do things on his own just yet, because I know as a parent that he is definitely not ready. I also know that all of us at the age of 17 thought that we were. And really the only way to learn is to experience it. It frightens me though as a mother to know what is out there and how hard life can be and especially since he has had some experiences with alcohol, etc. that he is going to get too caught up in that...
But at the same token, I am frustrated and I am getting to the point where I don't know how much more I can take - Plus I have an 8 year old at home who sees the older boys actions...Any advice??

Originally Posted by Unregistered My son is 17 currently and will be turning 18 in October..He was struggling in school and ended up in re-hab for about a month and is now out of school. He got his GED and has a decent job and is supposed to start CNA classes this fall..However he is not responsible when it comes to the house, example keeping his room picked up, picking up after himself in general. He wants to have priviledges and me run him places (since he doesnt currently have a car) and has been very hateful lately but still expects me to do things for him..I am very frustrated to say the least. I do not want to see him run out and try to do things on his own just yet, because I know as a parent that he is definitely not ready. I also know that all of us at the age of 17 thought that we were. And really the only way to learn is to experience it. It frightens me though as a mother to know what is out there and how hard life can be and especially since he has had some experiences with alcohol, etc. that he is going to get too caught up in that... But at the same token, I am frustrated and I am getting to the point where I don't know how much more I can take - Plus I have an 8 year old at home who sees the older boys actions...Any advice??

Yes. Stop babying your grown son. Your son is as close to being an adult now as he will be the day he turns 18. The reason kids "aren't ready" for the world is when parents are scared to let them go. Therefore, they subconsciously (and something deliberately) do everything in their power to keep their children from growing and maturing.

He's not ready because you don't want him to be ready.

It's time to stop treating him like he's still 6 years old. If he wants to go someplace, he can walk, ride his bike, or take public transportation. If he doesn't clean up his room, don't clean it for him.

We live in a time era now where parents are acting more like kids themselves than the kids they're having. They think their children are pals instead of their children to raise to be successful, productive members of society.

It's not a very good parent to visit upon their children their own fear of the world. It frightens you "what's out there" and "how hard life can be". Those are your own attitudes about life and the world around you. Your son will have no choice but to share that attitude if you continue to tell him it's a scary world out there. NO parent should EVER do that.

Tell him the world is his oyster and he can do anything he sets his mind to. Wings are best unclipped. Don't teach your kids to be scared of the world. Life is as hard as your attitude makes it.

We have had issues with this when my daughter told me that she turned 17 that she was going to move out. I contacted our local police department, and they told me that if she left that there was nothing that could be done legally, as she would be considered an adult. And at anytime that she came back to my door up until the age that she reached 18 that, we the parents had to let her back in.
At age 18, if the son or daughter decide that they want to leave, then you cannot hold them. They are considered adults in most states at this age.
They want to leave, then let them go. They will realize how hard it is to make it in this world, and they will be coming back. When they come back, you do not have to let them back in. You say that he is a good kid, so I know you probably would let him back in.
Show the tough love. If he wants to go let him go, if he comes back, love him more and more each day.

Originally Posted by Unregistered We have had issues with this when my daughter told me that she turned 17 that she was going to move out. I contacted our local police department, and they told me that if she left that there was nothing that could be done legally, as she would be considered an adult. And at anytime that she came back to my door up until the age that she reached 18 that, we the parents had to let her back in. At age 18, if the son or daughter decide that they want to leave, then you cannot hold them. They are considered adults in most states at this age. They want to leave, then let them go. They will realize how hard it is to make it in this world, and they will be coming back. When they come back, you do not have to let them back in. You say that he is a good kid, so I know you probably would let him back in. Show the tough love. If he wants to go let him go, if he comes back, love him more and more each day.

Why would any parent be so emotional about their adult son or daughter moving out at 18 anyway? Isn't that the main goal of the parents? To raise the kids so that when they reach legal adult age they spread their wings and fly?

Any parent who would begrudge their child that is not well emotionally.

"They will realize how hard it is to make it in this world, and they will be coming back". What kind of sick, twisted mind would even think such a thing of try to drill into their kid's mind? Talk about f'd up in the head.

Cheese and baked rice, what is wrong with you? He's an adult, in case you live under a rock and didn't know that 18 year olds are almost universally considered adults. My advice to you, is go to therapy and find out what's wrong with you. You clearly have unresolved issues that need attention and have caused you to misunderstand your relationship with your son, and have probably followed you your entire life, though, no doubt, you were too oblivious--as you are clearly not very intelligent--to notice.

Originally Posted by Unregistered thats gayy. im 16 and im moving out. the law is sexy. and i dont care.

you're stupid and you make no sense

[goddessoflubboc]

Why do people want to hold their kids back? I only have my 3rd and 4th kids left at home. First born packed her stuff and walked out the door on her 18th birthday. She's 30 now, divorced, one toddler and doing well. Number two left at 20. Now he's 29 with 3 kids of his own, they bought a house two years ago.

My third will be 17 in a week. I predict he will linger. But he knows after high school he pays his own way. If he decides to go that's good too. My kids have all embraced the world fearlessly. That was my job. Not to prevent them from developing the skills to live on their own.