~Margaret Atwood
You turn eighteen, graduate high school, and go away to college. You consider yourself an adult, an independent adult. But being an adult is more than just being a certain age, having a degree, and not living with your parents. It is about responsibility, for your decisions, actions, and life. And being an independent adult does not mean mooching off your parents for everything, and having them fund you. If you need help every so often, that's one thing. But to constantly have Mommy pay for everything and give you a substantial amount of money each month, is, in my opinion, not independent.
Yes, certain circumstances and situations can warrant it, and I can understand it, but I am not referring to those instances. I'm referring to people who want to live on their own, be an adult, make their own decisions, and not have their parents interfere. Yet, these people call their parents multiple times a day to constantly update them, still calls Mommy when they have $5.00 left in their bank account (even after the generous check Mommy gave them at the beginning of the month), and comes home every two weeks, has Mommy go grocery shopping for them, and lets her pay for it as well. In all, Mommy spends about $500 a month on these children (and I think I'm being generous there). They do not pay their own bills, have their own cell phone plan, or in this case, do their own shopping.* And yet, these people call themselves adults, independent adults.
In the meantime, I get made fun of for being 23 years old and still living at home. However, I pay all my own bills, do all my own shopping, have my own cell phone plan, and even pay rent to my mother. I even have my own health insurance. And none of it is funded by my mother. None. So, now who is the independent adult?
*The second paragraph is really a rant about my brother, who does all those things, but makes fun of me for still living at home. Considering all of the above, it pisses me off.
2 comments:
I know the pain of living at home, so I can understand a little bit of what you are going through. Don't worry though, you'll get to move out soon enough I am sure. ...and I believe this discharges me from my obligation to comment.
:)
I totally know what you're talking about. I cannot even tell you the number of people who have basically told me that I'm not an adult or that I'm not really independent because I still live at home. Yes, my parents have helped me out with my health insurance, but that's only because I've been having trouble finding a job so therefore I have no money. However, I pay for everything else. When I go grocery shopping for stuff I want, I pay. When I go to concerts or go out with my friends, I pay. I have my own car. I barely even see my parents because we have different schedules. I basically do everything for myself. I have friends who don't live at home, but who rely on their parents for everything and yet, because I still live at home they tell me that I'm not independent. That seems a little insane. You are very independent though. Honestly I don't think one can judge how independent another is based on whether or not they still live at home. It is so much more than that. I'm here if you ever need to talk. I know that things can get frustrating sometimes.
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