Smile and Nod: Kid who's not going to college (not gap year)

[MotherOfDragons]

Also while I agree that explaining (child’'s) plans might be nice in conversation, as several people suggested, that would only be possible if I knew or if (child) knew. What (child) is doing is mainly up to (child), although as some have suggested that we provide expectations, we’re already also doing so. Setting expectations was also suggested. We are doing so and thanks for the thought. I think I mentioned that toward the end of my post, we are assisting until he can earn and save money and set out on (child’s) own. I anticipate that will be one to two years. We live in an expensive urban area so simply moving (child) out is highly impractical.

I think this throws people more than the no college thing when you’re talking to your peers.

If one of my friends said yep, he’s graduating, but we have no idea what the heck he’s doing and he has no plans, well, yeah, that’s super awkward. Most of us want our kids to be doing something-we don’t really care what exactly it is, as long as it doesn’t involve mom’s basement and an x box.

As an artist, if he wants to be an artist, he’s going to really have to hustle and take classes. Talent is not enough in this industry. You need marketing and business smarts, or you’ll be taken advantage of and miss out on good opportunities constantly. It is 90% schmooze and 10% talent.

So yeah, you’re getting the squinchy faces from people because your kid doesn’t have a plan. You should at least know your side of the plan, like “he’s moving out in May and he’s going to be eating ramen for a few years”. RIght now you have this plan to assist him for “one or two years”, but he’s not telling you his side of “The Plan”.

This means there is no plan. Hello!!!