We (meaning DH and I) have been batting this one around for a while now - when do you consider your children 'grown' and on their own? When do you begin to expect them to be responsible for their own things, expenses, decisions, etc.?
This is a tough issue for us; DH has a really (in my viewpoint) skewed version of how families work due to his upbringing, which was
radically different than mine. And we're also dealing with the 'yours, mine and ours' situation - which can really open a can of worms!
Now that oldest DD is 18, we're trying to determine what level of responsibility we need to expect from her. She is already paying her own cell phone bill and her portion of auto insurance and most of her own clothes (she knows I won't pay astronomical prices for the clothes she wants.)
DH thinks she should start paying a nominal room and board. ("It's the only way she'll learn what it's like in the real world.") I feel like she needs a chance to slowly move up to these adult realities.
How has this worked for your families? What did your parents expect from you?