Funny House Once the Kids Move Out

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Are you frustrated because your kids are grown up and old enough to be self-sufficient, yet they're still living with you? Is your home starting to feel like a free hotel? If you've decided it's time for one or more of your children to leave the nest, but they refuse to spread their wings, here's what to do.

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Assess the situation as objectively as possible. As a parent, you might have mixed feelings about encouraging your child to move out. On one hand, you might enjoy the company, or you don't want them to struggle on their own, or you don't want to feel like you're "kicking" anyone out. On the other hand, perhaps you sense that your child is not pulling his/her own weight, and if you don't take action s/he might never become self-sufficient. It's important to sort through all of these feelings before you talk to your child.^[1]
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Make a list of the reasons you want your child to move out. Be honest -- confront any ways in which having your child live at home makes you feel uncomfortable, and don't allow guilt to make you bite your tongue. Some reasons are obvious, such as if your child blatantly disrespects your privacy or belongings. Some reasons are subtle and somewhat personal and embarrassing, like overhearing your child with their lover(s), or the fact that you seem to be the one who ends up doing their laundry.^[2]
- Consider whether there is a real reason your child cannot live on their own. Sometimes a parent is reluctant to push a child out of the house if they believe the child simply doesn't have the resources to live independently. In most cases, however, the child is perfectly capable of being independent, but it will require some downgrading -- like moving from a house to a bare-bones apartment with roommates. If you determine this is the case, recognize that by allowing your child to stay, you're catering to their comfort, not to real circumstances.
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Don't be a snoop. It's bad enough your child feels unable to live out there as an individual without having parents show a huge lack of trust. Do not invade your child's privacy by going through their belongings. You're all adults, so come out and ask what you want to know.^[3]

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Show a united front. It's very common for one parent to want a child to move out and the other parent to be resistant to the idea.^[4] But before you can nudge your child towards independence, you've got to be on the same page. See How to Compromise With Your Spouse.
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Ask your child if they want to move out. This is a simple question, but will reveal a lot about why your child is still living at home. Usually, the answer will be something like "Yeah, of course, but..." followed by a list of reasons why it just can't happen at the moment. Evaluate those reasons objectively, keeping in mind that there are probably other reasons --real reasons - that your child hasn't verbalized, such as that they enjoy having you to do their laundry, or being able to use your car without having to make car or insurance payments, etc. What you want to do is address the verbalized reasons (which, in many cases - but not all - are excuses) one by one, with facts:
- "I'm looking for a job." Is that true, really? How often are they checking classifieds and job sites? In the meantime, are they volunteering so that they can make contacts, and can account for any gaps in their resume? Are they looking for "a" job or "the" (perfect) job? Are they unwilling to work a minimum wage job until they find something better?
- "I can't afford a place." Is it that your child can't afford a place, or that they can't afford a place as comfortable as your place? Maybe they can't afford a place in your neighborhood and there's a reason for that; living in a nice neighborhood is one of the rewards of having a successful career. Look around: Where do other young adults live? Does your child feel like they're "too good" to live there? Do you feel like they're "too good" to live there?
- "I want to save up for a house, car, grad school, etc." This is probably the most legitimate reason to stick around at home, but only if your child is accountable to it. How much do they actually have saved up? What is the ultimate goal? Are they consistently putting money away, or do their savings patterns depend on how many good movies or video games are out that week? If they can prove that saving money is a priority for them, it's all good. But don't just take your kid's word for it. If that's the reason for staying home and getting a free ride, you're entitled to see pay stubs and bank statements, just like financial aid offices are entitled to see tax forms before they provide financial assistance. So you need to develop some strategies to establish a new adult-to-adult relationship.

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If you make up your mind that your adult child is ready to move out, set a deadline. Inform the child that the deadline stands or rent begins, along with associated requirements for paying a share of the water, the electricity bill, heating costs, service costs, etc. Being forced to chip in can often make living independently seem more viable.^[5]
- Have your adult child make a plan. For example, get a job,^[6] save paychecks, look for an apartment, and so forth.
- Pick up boxes and get a calendar; start marking off the days with great show.
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When it gets closer to the date, start going over what the adult child will/will not take with them. For example, furniture, bedding, etc.
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If the deadline passes, get serious. Send bills and part payment demands. If these are not met, start disconnecting services, cable, phone, etc.
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If they have made up yet another excuse about why they aren't quite ready to move out, charge rent for their room. ^[7] Chances are they are not going to be too comfortable paying rent for a room. This will get them mad and they will want to move out fast!

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Question

My 37-year-old son, his wife, and their 4 children have lived with me for 1 1/2 years. They have had 4 months notice to leave, and pay no bills so they could save, but they haven't saved. What can I do?

Give them a 4 week notice and then apply for an eviction order. You've given them plenty of chances at this point, and they'll continue to walk all over you if you let them.
Question

How can I write a letter to my 45 year old daughters to move out? They both have jobs. I have helped them the past couple of years and I want to sell my house now.

Tell them you are putting the house on the market and they need to find another place to live. Don't allow them to move to your new place.
Question

I do his laundry and he is a sex offender so I can't see my children or grandchildren. What should I do?

Ask your county sex offenders office for help in locating new living arrangements. I believe most counties help with this so the family can live a more normal life.
Question

How can I get an adult to move out?

Stop buying groceries, to begin with. Leave a jar of peanut butter and a loaf of cheap bread only in the house. Remove the cable boxes in any room he can shut himself up in. Block wifi from his devices. Remove all remote controls except the one you keep for yourself; and make sure it is unavailable to him. If you have a computer at his disposal make sure you only have the password for access and allow him to use it only when you are present. When the complaining starts, you will finally have gotten his attention. Encourage him to get his own life started, stating that "things have changed" and continue to take away his comforts of home.
Question

My 26-year-old daughter and her son can't afford to live elsewhere, but it is not a good situation having them here. How do I get them to move out?

I was in the same situation. We sat down with her and helped her develop a list of things she needed to do to become independent. Things like getting a better job, saving, buying a car, and applying for child support from her ex were on the list. Then we came up with very strict rules about how she could occupy our spare room, including that she had to be up and out of bed by 9 every day, and had to put her son to bed by 8pm so we had some peace and quiet in the house. There were a lot of rules. She moved out in about 2 months.
Question

My daughter is 20-years-old. She has a job and is doing all her college classes online. She wants to move out on her own within the next 6 months. She has a car payment and insurance she's responsible for already. What is the best option?

Have her look around and find out average rent and utilities for your area. If she plans to get a roommate, ask her to think about what she will do if her roommate becomes unexpectedly unemployed or moves out unexpectedly and it takes a month or two to get a new roommate. Then have her start a savings account where she contributes the estimated monthly cost into the account (and makes no withdraws to cover unexpected expenses), so that she can learn what it will feel like to live on less spending money. (She can use some later for a deposit, but should keep the rest as savings.) Also have her start either buying her own food or contributing money to the house that equals what she eats.
Question

What if my adult child is working, but doesn't have his own vehicle? Should I cosign a car loan?

Only if you are totally prepared to pick up the tab should, or when, he loses his job. Your credit will be destroyed if you do not. Be clear on your expectations and consequences. Are you willing to sell the car if he stops paying? You could require your child to show good faith in meeting the financial demands of having the car by putting money down, perhaps $4-500 per month. If the child has shown that he can be responsible for 4-6 months making this payment to you, you may feel more secure that he will have the money to keep up on the monthly expense. This money could be held in escrow in the event he loses his job. Also, consider applying for a free or discounted car through local charity organizations.
Question

What should I do if I am afraid to tell my 30 year old son to move out for fear he might harm himself?

If you fear he may harm himself, seek professional help for you and for him.
Question

Are there laws that can help me get my adult child out of my house?

Yes, there are. After 18, or the legal adult age in your state/territory, you can go down to the court and request an eviction notice. If your eviction notice request is approved, your adult child will normally have 30 days to leave. If they do not leave, you can take this issue to small claims court. In addition, you can coerce your adult child into filing for emancipation.
Question

What if my adult child is being disrespectful and talking to me any kind of way - what should I do?

Sit them down and let them know that one of the requirements of being able to stay in the house is to treat everyone with respect. If they choose not to do that, while that is their right, they can just exercise that right somewhere else. So, ask them to move out if they don't shape up.

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A more extreme measure is to move. Some parents retire to a more remote, relaxed location where their adult children won't have much fun, or where people under retiring age aren't allowed. You could also downsize your home, and explain to your child that you need to save money for retirement, that there's not enough room for them in the smaller home/apartment.
If you can afford it, a very nice thing that some parents do is to collect rent from their adult children, take a small portion to help with household expenses, but put the great majority of the money in a special account. When the child either volunteers to move, or the parent asks them to move out, the parents present the adult child with the money stockpiled from rent payments. This helps with down payments/move-in fees like first and last month's rent, and the like. Generally, this is most successful if the child has no idea that the parents plan to do this until the gift of the cash is presented. It's really best if the child believes that rent money is simply their obligation to pay and that you expect it on time each month - any landlord expects the same.
If you live in an area with high average rents, such as New York or San Francisco, you will probably hear the "I can't afford a place" excuse very often. While it really may be difficult to afford a place, young adults can and do make it in these cities. This may mean living in a less fancier, but cheaper, area (Brooklyn instead of Manhattan, for example) or living with roommates instead of living alone, and that's perfectly fine. Regardless of his living situation, when your child is no longer living under your roof, he is learning to be independent.
As soon as a child graduates from post-secondary, consider making the grad "present" a helping hand with moving out. A roommate will be required and rent will be assisted on a sliding scale that results in no help after the first couple of months. That way, they feel the shortage and get more hours at work. It is less likely to overwhelm but they also learn to get it together and support themselves. The bottom line is "out you go, with love".
Before deciding to kick your adult children out of the house, listen to your adult children's point of view and let them know the reasons for your opinions. Real adults are willing to listen to other adults to solve problems. Perhaps you and your children can work something out.
- On the other hand, remember that your home was bought with your efforts and your money. You are under no obligation to "work something out" with your adult children. If you simply want to enjoy your home without your children in it, that is your right, of course. It is simply suggested that all parties show some compassion to the others involved in the interest of maintaining a good family relationship.

Be sure that your child is not suffering from some mental illness, such as depression.^[8] These illnesses can be debilitating. You may need to help them get them help. Although once a child reaches the age of majority (is no longer a minor), you have no obligation to him or her, denying that there is an actual illness working in this type of situation is irresponsible and potentially harmful to your child.
Before going so far as to change locks, remove belongings, etc., understand your local laws regarding the eviction of tenants. Even though they are family and may not be paying rent, many places have eviction laws that may apply and must be followed.
Remember that the economy is very difficult right now. Jobs can be scarce and low paying, but housing and living expenses are high. Be reasonable in your expectations.
Some of the less expensive areas may be unsafe. Make sure the place your child intends to move to doesn't have a high crime rate.

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The easiest way to get your adult child to move out is to ask them to move out. Don't overthink it, just say something like "Jake, I think it's time you move out of the house." If they respond with excuses about why this isn't possible, answer them with facts, such as by explaining they could rent a smaller place if they say they can't afford to live alone. Then, set a deadline for your child to move out and explain that if they want to stay on longer, they will have to pay rent, and contribute to bills and other service charges. For tips on how to tell if your child is taking advantage of you by staying at home, read on!

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Graham Disid1946

Funny House Once the Kids Move Out

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