|
When am I able to leave
I'm 16 from Wisconsin, homeschooled.
My Mom is driving me insane, I love her but her strictness and constant yelling/ accusing is driving me nuts and I don't know how much more I can take before I blow up at her.
Anyway, I'm sixteen but I'm in 12th grade(did two grades in one year due to homeschooling) and I've heard that once you graduate you are considered an adult if you're seventeen, which I will be once I Graduate,but other people say you have to be 18.
I just want to know if I can move out then or if I have to wait until I'm eighteen.
Please let me know if you can, she's making me go to a tech college that I'm not sure I want to, accusing me of drugs and is super strict about everything and just knowing I have the option to leave in 9 months instead of a year and a half would be a huge relief.
[ ]
Want to answer more questions in the Miscellaneous category?
Maybe give some free advice about: Doesn't Fit Any Of These Categories?
Unless you go to college at 17 then you are not a legal adult until 18.
]
By law you are not considered an adult until you are 18 in every state and most countries in the world. When it comes to contracts such as renting an apartment, buying a car, signing for utilities and other necessities of life until you are 21 and have established a credit history you will most likely be asked for a co-signer. In certain instances and by law in many states for some contracts you must be 21 to enter into them.
I know; not what you wanted to hear. There is one saving grace to your question and problem; your continuing education. You cannot be forced to attend a school you do not wish to attend or to give up a college education in return for a Technical School or College. You and your parents must sign any application for college. Without your signature the college will not consider the application.
Now if the problem was a choice between an Ivy League school and a State college. That problem is probably one of monetary concern. You and you parents would have to find a way to compromise if they are footing the bill.
Doing two years of school in one year tells me you are a bright kid. I don't understand why your mom would want you to go to a Technical School rather than a standard four year college to study something of your choice.
There is nothing wrong with Tech colleges. In fact graduates of tech colleges earn more than those who graduate from four year institutions. This may be what your mother has in mind.
To that I have a couple of sayings that are very applicable. You can make all the money there is to be made and be miserable or you can work at a job you love and never work a day in your life. Meaning when you love your job it is not work. You may not make millions of dollars. If you can put a roof over your head, food on the table and support your family. Then you have the American dream.
]
You are not 'considered an adult' when you graduate high school. People under 18 who move out to go to school or work have some leeway, but generally speaking, a 17 year old is still a minor.
However, once you've completed high school neither the state nor your parent has any say in what education - if any - you pursue. Your mother literally cannot make you go to a college you don't want too. She can scream and cry, but she doesn't actually have that authority. That is not her decision to make.
Emancipation may seem like a good idea, but it's actually a very difficult process. At 17, you can only legally rent and live someplace else only if you have a job, and are capable of supporting yourself (including food, health insurance, all those things), and are able to provide a reason to the court that you would be better off out of your parents home. "My mom's too strict" isn't going to be a good enough reason. Your home life will need to be found to be abusive.
If you leave home before 18, you'll be a runaway. With your mother's permission, you may go live with another family or friends, but without it, you are just a runaway, and anyone who takes you in could even face criminal penalties.
I know this sucks, but you need to stop thinking about when you get to leave, and think about where you are going too. Without a plan, you could end up on the streets. At 17 you'd have basically no ability to find a home for yourself. Getting out as fast as possible isn't your best option right now, your best option is plan the escape that will best set you up in the future. Running away at 17 is not going to be that path. You can runaway any day, but the moment you do your future life gets way, way more difficult to navigate.
If you are being abused, call the cops. If you don't want to go to the school she's chosen for you, tell her. Tell her loudly. Blow up on her - at least a bit. You are 17 and you are entitled to make certain decisions, like which college you go to. If your mother doesn't know that, then make some noise.
]
The general law is that a person is considered an adult at 18. Most kids in
a reg. school enter at 17 and turn 18 at some point during the school year and so are 18 at the time they graduate. Those who are in accelerated programs or genius status can be out on their own and in college a bit earlier and be making their own decisions. But usually thats the exception to the rule. I do not know what rules apply there.
In your case, even though you may be done with HS, being under 18, your parents still have a say as to what you do.
The only exception for teens is to go through the legal court system and become an emancipated teen. However this is based on whether the court approves this. This would mean that by court decree, you would be the only one solely responsible to everything for yourself, earn your own money, be able to afford your own place or share with a room mate, provide your own food, clothes, take care of transportation, and Dr and insurance and other such stuff, would no longer require a parent, you could sign for yourself. But that is a steep and often difficult plate to full for any young person. This would mean you no longer live at mom and dads as they dont legally need to offer you a home anymore. If they wanted to charge you rent for a bedroom, they could and you'd have to pay, the same as you would to any landlord. So before you jump, consider all that this really means. Tho responsible for yourself, other age limits still apply like not able to drink until 21.
[Link](Mouse over link to see full location)
[Link](Mouse over link to see full location)
[Link](Mouse over link to see full location)
And since state laws can vary a bit, you might do a search for 'teen emancipation' followed by the name of your state to get the best advice.
Good luck.
]
More Questions: |