Over the years I’ve encountered a lot of teens who want the freedoms that come with adulthood but not the responsibilities. That’s very sad when that happens because it’s backwards from the healthy way to become an adult, and those folks tend to rebel when they turn 18 instead of setting themselves up for success with a healthy launching complete with the blessing and support of their parents. You see, one way you could define a healthy adult is someone who has reached 18 and has freedoms, but is mature enough to submit to appropriate authority in spite of those freedoms.

Make note of this piece of launching advice: Leave home on a good note! That’s a great piece of advice right there. Unless mom and dad are seriously abusive in some way you need to stay submitted and collaborative with those people. They are your best allies on the planet. There is way that you getting to do what you want to do (and are legally entitled to do) is worth you losing all that support. Mom and dad can’t bless you as a rebellious child. And there’s hard times coming when you will want their blessings and support.

Submission is a blessing, not a curse. It’s like an umbrella in a rain storm. When the rainstorms of life come if you are under the umbrella via submission then mom and dad can cover you. When you’re rebellious you’re just out on your own with no covering. That umbrella is call obedience. Submission. Honor. Respect. Humility. Under that umbrella you get to be blessed, inherent, helped along. Outside that umbrella is nothing but your petty personal rights. Do you understand that independence means you get nothing? “I want my independence” is the same as “I want to be alone”.

I’m 42 and very independent financially. But I stay submissive and respectful as appropriate out of honor and respect. And this qualifies me for blessing and relationship.     Don’t make turning 18 and being responsible for yourself just about personal freedoms. It’s much more about maturity and responsibility.