Whoa There Almost Homeless Guy

My world was far from perfect, though. I wasn't getting at perfection. Just another approach that can be used with some of the tough love dished out. You could do both, ie.; Now that you have established credit, we need to start looking to get you a place with your friends, etc.

My mom was more financially unstable than I was. I became "dad" and caught her calling me by her ex's name at times, even.

I was viewed as a head of household and was expected to do things that most people trying to move out and establish themselves should not have to do, like pay $3k worth of back mortgage and make sacrifices with entire paychecks and with my cars, one of which she totaled.

The truth is, no family is perfect and I think I may have been able to move out even sooner, had it not been for some of the BS I had to deal with. I think I learned from her mistakes as much as my own, but no amount of threat ever stuck with me. It only gave me memories of resent. Adding responsibility with ability to handle it is the way to go, IMHO.