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Hmm ... I continued to work my same warehouse job after I graduated from college for 6 months. My new (and still my) wife and I saved up money while working various jobs so we could move to a city. We chose Portland, and because we worked during school, we networked our way to interviews in Portland.

Living at home was never an option, and I remember when having $300 in our checking account after bills meant that we were rich.

Today’s coddled collegiate children (and yes, if you live at home past the age of 18, you’re still a child to me) have never experienced hardship or going without luxuries. Sometimes parents need to exercise tough love, and letting Junior live at home after college is just enabling him, IMO.

Shut up.

“Tough love” my ass. Pure meanness is all that is.
Throw them out on the street. Don’ worry about death or incarceration.

Look genius, don’t have kids if you can’t go the distance.

and yes, if you live at home past the age of 18, you’re still a child to me

I don't quite understand this statement. Our kid lived at home, attended college and grad school, and worked a part time job.

He was not a child, but a man, in our eyes.

He lived at home because he was wise enough not to go into debt in order to live on campus (he paid no tuition for his two degrees thanks to merit scholarships and teaching assistant position in grad school.) He "launched" (got his own place) when he had his degrees and a full time job (he was 21.)

The discipline he showed to deal with work and school was amazing, just because he lived at home while doing it didn't make him a child.

I disagree.....many kids are not marrying after school.. whereas you and your wife had dual incomes. I do not believe our kids have to endure monetary hardships IF they are taught how to manage their money...and remaining at home 'enables' them to save a good financial foundation when they decide it's time to move on from the homefront. I had a situation which required me to return home for three months. I paid my mother x amount of dollars to assist with expenses. When it came time to move on she wrote a nice sized check for me...she had taken all the money I gave her and put it aside for that very day when I would be on my own again. For that, and the money I had set aside...the road was not so difficult had it might otherwise been.

I have to disagree. I think the idea of moving out at 18 was not the norm until after World War II when America was a very prosperous nation. Before that, multi-generation households were much more common, think of "The Waltons." You might have had Dad working and the grandparents helped out Mom with the kids and if they were still strong enough, helped out in other areas. I think we will return to the pre-World War II norms that were common in this country as we implode economically. Sometimes I do wonder if our prosperity from 1945 until a few years ago was more of an aberration. My quote, "The good times are over and someone has heisted the Kawasaki"

I have no objections of adult children living at home, heck I do, don't care what others think either. I think as long as the adult child at home shares the burden with chores and/or money into the common pot to pay the bills, that's fine otherwise if they are freeloading that's a different story. Families should be there to help each other. I just think it is dumb to move out until one gets married (unless one's job/career makes them leave home, that's a different story), stay home and save your money if you can. You save on rent/mortgage, utilities and so on, why put up with the hassle before you have to? Sometimes it is better where you can help your parents and they help you. Then we are returning to the multi-generational home concept again.