There comes a time in every family’s life where the young need to leave the nest – whether they like it or not. The process can be difficult; Pew Research reported 36 percent of young adults 18 to 31 were still living at home in 2012. The highest percentage in more than 40 years.
Here are some steps to get your beloved children a job and moved out, so you can have the place to you and your spouse again.
Getting a Job
The first step to getting your teen to be independent is for them to find a job. Even if a teen is going to school, it’s important he or she has an income stream before moving out. A great first job can be working retail. Filling out applications can be a sobering look at what adult life is really like.
If your teen struggles to find a job quickly, don’t despair:
The Bureau of Labor Statistics recently reported only a quarter of 16 to 19 year-olds are currently employed, a number that is down ten percent from just five years ago.
Today’s teens are confronting a job market in which there are fewer jobs to be had. It’s important to keep them encouraged during their job search.
For some teens, getting a job is the first step on starting a career with a particular company. For others, it’s just a way to pay for the necessities of life while attending school. If your teen is currently going to school, encourage him or her to try to find a job that will not only make pay the bills but get skills toward the desired career.
If he or she is studying business management, working in a fast food restaurant can teach about supply chains. If he is studying gunsmithing at Penn Foster, working in carpentry or metalwork can help down the road.
Saving Money
If there’s anything most teens lack, it’s impulse control. Having money for the first time is often an overwhelming feeling. Encourage your teen to save, not only for the distant future, but for the immediate future when he or she is no longer living on your dime. It’s important to save at least 10 percent for long-term goals, and learn to make a budget that affords a little for clothing and entertainment.
The National Consumers League recently reported that teens, surprisingly, have many misconceptions about where their money will come from in the future. More than 50 percent of those surveyed believed their parents will pay for anywhere from a fifth to half of their college education. The quicker your teen realizes you won’t always be there to bail them out financially, the quicker he or she will learn to save and scrimp.
Moving Out
When that fateful day arrives, try not to celebrate until after the truck faded into the distance. A lot of emotions can be raised when a child leaves the nest for the first time.
If it’s all too much to bear, keep in mind a recent Coldwell Banker survey found in that most people aged 18 thru 34 found it perfectly acceptable to live at home for up to five years after college. Your child might be back sooner than you think. The shame once tied to returning home is gone. In an earlier Pew study, young adults living with their parents were about as satisfied as those living alone.
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