<prompt> Human: Hi all, my wife and I have a senior in high school and we were probing him this evening about what his plan was after high school. He said he plans on finishing vo-tech and enrolling at the local community college. He also told us he has been looking into getting an apartment with his girlfriend. I explained to him that there is a lot more that goes into living on your own other than just paying for rent. I started naming off all the different expenses he can expect and that if his girlfriend doesnt have a job then hes stuck with paying for everything. He said he understood but Im pretty sure it all went over his head. Has anyone else had a similar experience with a child and does anyone have any advice or suggestions as to how I can get him to understand what it not only takes to live on your own but also with a girlfriend?  <response>: Its very unlikely that hes going to afford an apartment. He may be able to get a room in a friends house, at the most. Let him try to work it out. It will be a life lesson. If hes finished or finishing high school, youre going to have to get ready for him to leave the nest. I would back off and let him explore his options without a lot of negativity. 