At what age did you first move out?

Left home at 17 to live at the place where i worked. At 18, my boyfriend (now hubby ) and I got our first mortgage and moved in together.

I'm thinking about it.. hopefully soon..

Great for you!!!! I want for my sons to experience this.

My husband and I have invested in our kids to give them all the resources they need to succeed in life. My oldest son had a full scholarship in bball and this was going to be his last year. He was majoring in Business. All of a sudden he decides he hates the school he hates Business he's tired of playing bball and he wants to drop out. He told me he has been playing sports all his life listening to coaches tell him what to do what he needs to do and now he wants to do something that is going to make him happy.

My husband and I were livid!!!!!!!! I didnt speak to him for 2 months. He wants to study music. We told him that you ned to look at something that you will be able to get a job. We told him to take out a student loan and get a job. He did find a full time job and he will start school in the Spring.

I never had that luxury and I would have loved to be able to get a full scholarship. Oh well.

You didn't speak to your son for 2 MONTHS because he decided to change his major? This may be one of the most ridiculous things I've ever heard. Saying you won't pay for it, I understand. I work in higher education and understand that it's expensive to go to school in the first place, much less change your major 3 years in. But you didn't speak to him because of that? That's not support at all. If a degree in music is what makes him happy, then good for him. At least he's getting a degree in it.

She didn't speak to him because the kid had everything handed to him on a silver platter and he left with ONE YEAR to go. Honestly, I get if you hate something, but just finish the degree and then go get another degree in music. At least with the business degree (which he would have gotten for FREE, with ZERO debt) he can support himself while he pursues music. I 100% agree with her for being upset with him.

Did you know college students, on average, change their major 3 times? I understand not paying for the switch, which is something I stated previously, but to not speak to him for 2 months? That's ridiculous.

If you note her post, she says he got a scholarship for basketball. So that wasn't "handed to him on a silver platter" as you say. Scholarships take work. Keeping a scholarship for 3 years is hard. He's getting a degree in music. Not playing on street corners. He'll find a job. It just may not be the cushy business job his parents hoped for, but at least he'll be happy.

I myself have changed my major (or an idea of what my major will be, still sloooowly working on my general ed) many times, so I understand if he did that. I guess I just can't wrap my head around the idea of giving up a full ride with one year left as I struggle to pay for school myself although it's my number one priority. Scholarships aren't a walk in the park, but neither is barely scraping by with full time work and school. College in general isn't (or shouldn't be) easy, but I would think a scholarship would take at least the financial stress out of the situation. I can understand that keeping up grades while playing sports is difficult, but life is all about managing multiple things at once, and yeah, learning how to deal with stress. I'm not going to argue about what most music majors are doing these days because that's a whole other discussion... Even a business degree doesn't automatically = a "cushy" job, but I digress. I hope he is happy and successful, but I definitely see where his mom is coming from which was my original argument.

17. was leaving for college 600 miles away. Very difficult. Have had very few good roommates and have also lived alone before. Current roommate is the best so far. Not much guilt as I knew that it's a rite of passage and a very important step in life. Thought I was ready, but I certainly was not. I have grown up very fast and feel much older than my years, but wouldn't trade it for the world because of the wisdom I have gained. I experienced a lot of home-sickness, but the one and only summer I spent back at home in between semesters, my mother and I argued constantly and I was certain I had to do everything I could possibly do to remain independent.

I believe it's important for children to leave the nest as soon as they can. I love my family dearly and have no hard feelings towards them, but I would have been smothered had I not left early. I needed to get out and figure out who I was and learn things through my own experiences, not my mother's warnings of the world. Has it been hard? Yup. Would I have saved money staying at home? Yup. Would I have been happier at certain points? Yup. Has it been entirely worth it? Yup.

All the signs point towards my life being easier had I stayed home for another year or two or even up until now (I'm 23 as well). But I know a lot more things and have had a greater range of good and bad experiences being on my own. It's one of those to each his own sort of things.

Great for you!!!! I want for my sons to experience this.

My husband and I have invested in our kids to give them all the resources they need to succeed in life. My oldest son had a full scholarship in bball and this was going to be his last year. He was majoring in Business. All of a sudden he decides he hates the school he hates Business he's tired of playing bball and he wants to drop out. He told me he has been playing sports all his life listening to coaches tell him what to do what he needs to do and now he wants to do something that is going to make him happy.

My husband and I were livid!!!!!!!! I didnt speak to him for 2 months. He wants to study music. We told him that you ned to look at something that you will be able to get a job. We told him to take out a student loan and get a job. He did find a full time job and he will start school in the Spring.

I never had that luxury and I would have loved to be able to get a full scholarship. Oh well.

You didn't speak to your son for 2 MONTHS because he decided to change his major? This may be one of the most ridiculous things I've ever heard. Saying you won't pay for it, I understand. I work in higher education and understand that it's expensive to go to school in the first place, much less change your major 3 years in. But you didn't speak to him because of that? That's not support at all. If a degree in music is what makes him happy, then good for him. At least he's getting a degree in it.

She didn't speak to him because the kid had everything handed to him on a silver platter and he left with ONE YEAR to go. Honestly, I get if you hate something, but just finish the degree and then go get another degree in music. At least with the business degree (which he would have gotten for FREE, with ZERO debt) he can support himself while he pursues music. I 100% agree with her for being upset with him.

Did you know college students, on average, change their major 3 times? I understand not paying for the switch, which is something I stated previously, but to not speak to him for 2 months? That's ridiculous.

If you note her post, she says he got a scholarship for basketball. So that wasn't "handed to him on a silver platter" as you say. Scholarships take work. Keeping a scholarship for 3 years is hard. He's getting a degree in music. Not playing on street corners. He'll find a job. It just may not be the cushy business job his parents hoped for, but at least he'll be happy.

I myself have changed my major (or an idea of what my major will be, still sloooowly working on my general ed) many times, so I understand if he did that. I guess I just can't wrap my head around the idea of giving up a full ride with one year left as I struggle to pay for school myself although it's my number one priority. Scholarships aren't a walk in the park, but neither is barely scraping by with full time work and school. College in general isn't (or shouldn't be) easy, but I would think a scholarship would take at least the financial stress out of the situation. I can understand that keeping up grades while playing sports is difficult, but life is all about managing multiple things at once, and yeah, learning how to deal with stress. I'm not going to argue about what most music majors are doing these days because that's a whole other discussion... Even a business degree doesn't automatically = a "cushy" job, but I digress. I hope he is happy and successful, but I definitely see where his mom is coming from which was my original argument.

I guess we just see different sides. I, myself, am working on a stipend and using student loans to pay for my degree. I had a scholarship for my whole undergrad but there aren't many scholarships for grad school. I get that. I think the higher ed side of me is understanding of the students perspective.

I moved out at 18

If it were legal, I would have moved out sooner. I needed space to be my own person away from everyone else.

If I could go back I would tell myself to be flexible because things don't always pan out the way you want to, whether it's roommates, the property, furniture etc.

It was a very easy move-out for me. Just loaded up everything I own into Rubbermaid bins and hauled them where they needed to go.

I'm okay with whatever option people choose, I mean, it's their life, not mine. But I do feel more uncomfortable visiting somebody who still lives with their folks because it is a more intimate setting. I certainly would have never dated someone who didn't have their own place--I preferred to keep "my pad" as MY PAD.

I was 17.

My Dad is kind of an old fashioned man. Whereas I was busy with girls and teenage things at 17, he was trying to establish my career for me (wanted me to join the army) so I moved out when things got heated!

Great for you!!!! I want for my sons to experience this.

My husband and I have invested in our kids to give them all the resources they need to succeed in life. My oldest son had a full scholarship in bball and this was going to be his last year. He was majoring in Business. All of a sudden he decides he hates the school he hates Business he's tired of playing bball and he wants to drop out. He told me he has been playing sports all his life listening to coaches tell him what to do what he needs to do and now he wants to do something that is going to make him happy.

My husband and I were livid!!!!!!!! I didnt speak to him for 2 months. He wants to study music. We told him that you ned to look at something that you will be able to get a job. We told him to take out a student loan and get a job. He did find a full time job and he will start school in the Spring.

I never had that luxury and I would have loved to be able to get a full scholarship. Oh well.

You didn't speak to your son for 2 MONTHS because he decided to change his major? This may be one of the most ridiculous things I've ever heard. Saying you won't pay for it, I understand. I work in higher education and understand that it's expensive to go to school in the first place, much less change your major 3 years in. But you didn't speak to him because of that? That's not support at all. If a degree in music is what makes him happy, then good for him. At least he's getting a degree in it.

I didnt get pissed off because he changed his major. I was pissed that he had a FULL scholarship and decided to throw it all away. Within those 3 yrs of paid tuition i DO NOT care if he changed his major 10 times I get that. I was pissed because he was passing up a FREE education to be able to get a degree a job without being in student loan debt of hundreds of thousands dollars. Who wouldnt want to be debt free?

In the end it was his decision. We can't force him to go back.

BTW I am ok if he wants to study music. He just need to make sure that he will be able to get a job when he finishes his degree.

21 when I went to graduate school. It was a bit scary, but I didn't feel any guilt at all.

I moved out at the age of 16 with a then boyfriend, now husband. I had worked my butt off to graduate two years early so I could move out and start my life. We both had full time jobs and to this day have never had to ask for money from anyone! If you are looking to move out I really suggest SAVING all that you can, once you are moved out you won't want to have to go back or ask for assistance. I did feel extremely guilty leaving my mom alone, but we are closer now than ever!