The age old question of when to cut the apron strings from our children is one of the hardest things to decide as a parent. People tend to be all the way to the left or all the way to the right on this issue. They either feel that kids should be left to their own vices, or they should be helped when they need it. There is not a whole lot of in between in these relationships.
Some parents are unable to help their adult aged children. That situation is a completely different and separate issue. If a parent has the means to help, and one of their children are suffering, should they help? That is the question here. The question is a tough one to answer sometimes.
Most kids grow up and make their way. They trip and fall, and sometimes they even hesitate to get back up without some prodding, but they find their way. There are others that never grow up. They refuse to work, party all the time, spend their money on wants rather than needs, and generally do not help themselves. There are others that are working hard, doing the right things, and have just suffered extreme hardships. Should all of these kids be treated in the same way when it comes to helping financially?
There are parents out there that actually feel that they should be. These parents think that they should make their own way, regardless of why they are there. This state of mind as a parent is completely confusing to me. I do not know how any parent could have the means to help their children, and refuse to do so regardless of the circumstances.
If an adult child is living wrong and not taking care of what they should, then they should be left to learn their lessons. There is no question about that and it should not matter what their parents are capable of doing. Also, if a parent is not in position to help their children, then they should not attempt to help at the risk of their own financial security. But a parent that has the means to help, and their kids are doing the right things, is a person that is hard to understand.
People have things happen. It is obvious to the vast majority of us that in today’s world, we have to look after one another within a family. When one of the family is down, the others can pick them up. This is especially true among families that are below the poverty line. It takes a village.
The largest majority of people out there look after each other within a family. Thank God that they do, as some families would never make it otherwise. Still, there are a number of others that still just do not get it. I hope that the world can take their eyes off the money and start looking after one another a little sooner. The world is falling apart, and this is only one of the reasons why.
