<p>In another thread, Ricegal asked:
</p>
<p>My sister went through this with her D. It was bad; the D was stealing from them and hocking their stuff, doing drugs, etc. She told the D, “You can’t stay here anymore. I will take you where ever you want to go live. If you don’t have a place, I will either take you downtown to the homeless shelter or I will take you to Job Corps” (she had been doing her homework). The military would have been an option too, but the D was overweight and wouldn’t have qualified.</p>
<p>The D decided on Job Corps. It’s a government program that provides job training to disadvantaged youth. My niece was not disadvantaged, but they base their financial evaluation on the youth’s salary. So pretty much all 18 year olds will qualify. Most of the kids there truly <em>were</em> disadvantaged. It was not a nice place. You had to lock everything up or it would be stolen (wonder how my niece liked it when the shoe was on the other foot?). She got her GED there (she had been kicked out of private school) and a CNA (certified nurse assistant). They have training in lots of trades…some of them decent-paying like electricians and plumbers.</p>
<p>After about 6 months she finished the program. My sister allowed her to come home with lots of conditions. It’s been a month and so far, so good. She got a job at a nursing home and is applying for a job with the county clerk’s office (much better pay than at a nursing home).</p>
<p>I think it was good for her to see what life would be like without her nice, suburban home.</p>
<p>I know it would be hard to do this to your son, but you are only hurting him in the long run by letting him stay. I think I’d give him the choice of the military, Job Corps, or back to the park. OR, he could find a full-time job within 2 weeks and pay rent. Maybe you could refund some portion of it if he kept his stuff clean.</p>