To begin with, there is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question. There are of course cultural variances that determine when and if children move out of the parental home, but there are many other personal determinants that are important to consider when deciding when a child should leave the home of the parent.
While other cultures view it differently, in Western cultures it is largely accepted that in order for a child to develop as a person and an individual, he or she has to become independent early in life; to learn to be self reliant if they are to be successful people.
There is also the belief that a child cannot live off their parents for ever and has to go out and start earning a living. So when determining the right age for a child to move out of the parental home, keep the following in mind:
Emotional and physical maturity of a child:
A parent can guide and encourage a child to become more confident in her; give her the self belief that she will in fact be able to strike out on her own. Also parents can help equip their kids with the sort of skills that are required to look after themselves.
Make sure they help out around the house and cook the occasional meal so they have the confidence in their own abilities to fork out on their own.
The financial situation:
Some children do feel a sense of entitlement at being able to enjoy the standard of living that they enjoy in their parents’ home. This is a notion that should gently be clarified to the child.
Parents would typically have worked hard for several decades to achieve their prosperity and standard of living and the children are not automatically entitled to this.
If moving out means that they have to use public transport for a time before being able to afford a car, or having one, two or more roommates so that rent becomes affordable, so be it. These are the first steps towards self reliance that children should be encouraged to take.
Is there a plan in place?
This is another factor to consider when deciding when to have a child move out. What are the long term plans of the child? What are they going to study?
What is the status of employment? Sometimes the plan could be such that the child needs more time at home; be willing to provide it. But in the main, stick to the plan so that the child does not make the mistake of thinking that the situation is an open-ended one.
