7) Check your own behaviors to make sure you are not enabling your child. Do you find that you are constantly rescuing children from their own poor decisions? Do you try to lessen consequences so that your child doesn’t have to feel the pain from their decisions?
8) Decide on the consequences for not following house rules. What are your prepared to do if your child does not get up to look for a job? What are you willing to do if you find that your child is drinking or doing drugs? If you have determined that you will not accept certain behaviors, you will need to have consequences for these actions.
9) Sit down with your child and go over your goal, your house rules, the support you are willing to offer and the consequences for not following your rules. Let them know exactly what they can expect from you and exactly what you expect from them.
10) Accept that it is okay to place conditions on your child living in your home. You have a right to want your home clean, you have a right to not live each day worrying what your child is doing or if they will be home at night. You have a right to demand that they have household chores to complete. You have a right to deny your children complete freedom. You have a right to have a home free of drugs and alcohol. Accept that you have the right to demand your child leaves if they are not willing to respect you and your household.
Having adult children remain in your home can be stressful for everyone in the family. These guidelines can help you to set up a plan to make the transition from childhood to adulthood a little easier for everyone.
Suggested Reading:
Diagnosing and Treating Adult ADHD
