<p>parents make us pay $200 a month + all our bills once we graduate from high school unless we go to college</p>
<p>of course only my brother has done that, and he opted not to go to college and maybe it is because he was making 1k+ a week that they charged him so much i dunno</p>
<p>Kids can live with us while full time college students. Once they graduate or leave school, if they are still living with us, they will be charged rent. The rent would probably start out modest the first 6 months and then get raised to the going rate for our area and include utilities and pitching into the household as an equal adult. The basic idea is to expect them to give to our household what it would cost in an equal situation out of the home if they were renting a room... which I believe is incentive to transplant themselves somewhere else (since they would be required to dole out the cash each month to the parent's household in this situation, most young adults would rather have their own place for the same cost and hassle).</p>
<p>If an adult child got too comfortable staying with us even with the rent expectations, at some point we'd draft up a moving out date. Speaking from my cultural perspective, I'm all for young adult moving out and living on their own. I read an interesting article that made a good point about extended families that have adult children live at home -- it pointed out that in some cultures this occurs but the young adult still manages other adult "markers" in their lives and contribute to the household in responsible ways. In contrast, many families in America where this is a <em>new</em> trend, the young people (usually young men) living at home are doing so in a way that they are not contributing to the household and not advancing in their careers and life. There are problem trends also occurring in Japan as well around this kind of pattern. I know for certain my kids, if they stayed at home long after college, would be exhibiting the "unhealthy" trends of living at home too long.</p>
<p>Annika</p>
<p>Mine would be welcome to stay forever with no rent. I love having them. On the other hand, if it got to the point where they weren't working or going to school I would be tempted to charge rent, but by then, the problem would be that they should WANT to work and WANT to leave.</p>
<p>Mine all moved out within months of finishing school. The two oldest bought a house. The youngest rents for now since he's still in grad school. Maybe the fact that they know they are always welcome makes them want to leave.</p>
<p>Both mine are degreed, having graduated in May '07. Both have local jobs in their fields, but we live in a very high cost area.</p>
<p>They also are paying their own vehicle and health insurance, and their school loans in their names. I transfered ownship of the respective vehicles to them when they graduated; these were "ours", not theirs, as they did not pay for them or hold title.</p>
<p>They do eat here, on regular basis as their schedules permit.</p>
<p>They knew they were welcome back home, but yes we would charge "rent". It started three months after they graduated. It is a token sum, but substantial enough so they feel the bite, yet far, far below what they would pay in the area for a studio or roomate sharing scenario.</p>
<p>The combined total between the two will not cover our electric bill, and two weeks of groceries. I will defer or allow a partial payment if they run into car or health related expense issues, but for no other reason. </p>
<p>If they were in mainstream fields, pulling in an average new grad salary, they'd either be out on their own or paying market value for living at home. I have no issues lending a hand, but I'm not going to let them get away free spending when we went through hoops to spring for their undergrad costs.</p>
<p>Both also have amassed a "loan" from us for living beyond their budgets as undergrads. They knew upfront we'd cover educational costs, but not personal/entertainment spending. They are paying this back, but slowly. They also understand that if they choose to leave, all furniture and electronics they haven't themselves purchased stay here until these "loans" are paid.</p>
<p>I don't think mine will be living with their parents unless they are down and out on their last dollar. But I've learned not to say never.</p>