Definitely thumbed you down because you haven't travelled most of Canada like i have.

"what more could I ask for considering that I've got a great emotional support unit that Canadians generally seem to lack"

Wow just wow, obviously you haven't been outside of Vancouver im guessing? Canadian people are some of the most supportive people in the world, just because you're in Vancouver doesn't mean the rest of Canada is like this. You really lack the experience of what a real Canadian is.

And i would've thumbed you up had you not made that comment because i also lived at home after 18 and parents had no problem with it. I moved out at age 23, had enough saved up to get a great place with my gf for over 10 years. Do i regret living at home? Hell no, it gave me great time with my parents that i'll never get back. But to be living at home still in your 30's, 40's *gasp* 50's... Is really odd and there's a reason why you need to be on your own. It's not normal here, it's time to grow up one day and be mature and take care of your own life the way you want. I would find it so odd living with parents at an older age, but teens and 20's? Go for it.

I've always found it odd that North Americans, once again, always feel superior to other cultures as far as moving out of the nest is concerned, when the North American way of life (i.e. leave home at 18 and start your own life outside your family) is only prevalent in North America. The rest of the world, for the most part, has some sort of the familial units of which you speak. Nothing wrong with it. I didn't do it that way, and I don't think I could have, but it doesn't mean you (or anyone else who lives at home in their 20s) is wrong. Hell, if you live at home in your 50s it's not wrong, as long as it's not hurting anyone else (and really, who else is it hurting?). I get what you mean by support, but you didn't say it in a way that North Americans will understand - I think what you're saying is that North Americans are raised to grow up and detach themselves from the family to create their own family. That doesn't mean they don't receive emotional support equal to what you receive (and in fact, it's arguable they probably receive a "healthier" amount of emotional support than those people who live in tight-knit, interwoven families). You adhere to what you were raised with - good for you. Some people who grew up like you did decided to question it and now they live like North Americans do (and are probably the black sheep of their families) - nothing wrong with that either. But don't make broad assumptions about how warm or cold North Americans are based on your very narrow world view. I sometimes wonder whether people who get offended by such "judgment" (which is probably just "questioning" or "curiosity") actually hate the life they are living, and wish they could live outside the constrictive bounds of their culture. You know, methinks thou dost protest too much and all that. Just a thought.

18+ and getting yourself through university? No problem. However, I have coworkers in their late twenties/early thirties with careers who still live with their parents. To be honest, they are some of the most annoying coworkers I have. They aren't stupid, but they are completely unable to make decisions on their own without someone holding their hand. After awhile, living with mommy and daddy kind of stunts you.

@ You obviously don't know Canada
Some people choose to live with their elderly parents so they can look after them instead of putting them into an old folks home. And some over 20 have HAD to stay home because of a debilitating illness.

Slll-low down there with your final pronouncements. My family are European immigrants who still count as 'Canadians'. I was born here, so were my siblings. I have mixed blood and have traveled the world. I speak 3 languages. I accomplished majority of this after I left home at 17 years old. I have been, and am encouraged to be on my own ever since. I am not alone. I am super loving. It is ridiculous how much love I have in my life and how much I receive correspondingly from my fellow Canadians. I needed to leave home asap after I graduated high school, as my mother suffers from mental illness. I simply could not blossom or grow up fully in my home of origin. My whole family knows this about our family/my mother. Your comment seems small-minded. Anyway, I wish you love so you don't get us all wrong. I am so so blessed to have as much love as I do in my life.

Unless you walk around with a special air of entitlement. Which alot of kids who live at home do.

Just remember to respect and be able to sympathize with the people who don't have the option to live at home because believe or not it adds who new level of difficulty, in terms of finance, to life. It also matures you in ways you couldn't imagine. You do your own laundry? Fantastic.
Add in all the bills of living on your own you are looking at a minimum of $10,000 a year, and no mom to do your laundry or cook your meals because you can't that day, for what ever reason

I have plenty of friends who live at home and I can tell you they are annoying. They don't know how to do basic things like load a dishwasher or wash their own clothes and pretty much live in such a sheltered existence. They cannot have a conversation without mentioning their parents every 5 minutes. It's annoying. From my perspective I get frustrated because I don't have that closeness with my parents and I can hardly have more then a 5 minute conversation with them. Yes I'm a little envious but then I remember it would drive me INSANE if I lived with them.

don't you consider yourself to be one of us? If you separate yourself from everyone else in this country and have such poor opinion of our population, the obvious answer is - you are free to move anywhere you want. I am a first generation immigrant, came to this country when i was in my twenties, and i am canadian. the emotional support i have received in this country if far greater than some families have. this country lets you express your opinion, live your life the way you want it - in your parent's home or on your own, leave the country as you please, receive generous social assistance if needed, healthcare for a fraction of the cost, ultimate freedom of religion and sexuality - not many places on earth that are like that, so maybe show a little respect to all of the 36-plus million people who live here.
and as far as living at home goes, there comes a point in everyone's life when they need to start living independently. doesn't have to be at 18, but it needs to happen in order for a person to grow as an individual.

It's almost as if I wrote this myself. I'm in my mid twenties and still live at home. Absolutely nothing wrong with it either. I come from a culture where it's almost shamed upon to leave home until marriage so I completely agree with you.

My parents raised me to want to be independent. The first time I could invite them over for dinner at my own apartment was a great day for me at 17. It was hard and sometimes scary but it's important to learn to cope with life on your own. And the pride you feel at being independant is unmeasureable. Security with your patents may be nice but you deserve to be a fully functioning adult not a child. And for that matter your poor parents, let them retire from taking care of you, even if you do your own chores they don't need to take care of you forever. Have some gratitude and take care of yourself.