Living arrangements for a teenage daughter

What is the name of your state? Alabama I have a 16 year old daughter, she has always been very independent and ambitous, recently she has just graduated high school through a home school program, she has a job and has saved for 6 months, would it be legal for me to sign a lease on an apartment for her and not live there? Your advice would be very helpful. It may seem careless of me to consider doing this but she is very mature, has never gotten into an ounce of trouble she wants the chance to live on her own, to start her own life. I was just reading through the boards about emancipation, if it were not legal for me to sign a lease could we get her emancipated and she sign it on her own?

[I AM ALWAYS LIABLE]

Originally posted by bamananny52
What is the name of your state? Alabama I have a 16 year old daughter, she has always been very independent and ambitous, recently she has just graduated high school through a home school program, she has a job and has saved for 6 months, would it be legal for me to sign a lease on an apartment for her and not live there? Your advice would be very helpful. It may seem careless of me to consider doing this but she is very mature, has never gotten into an ounce of trouble she wants the chance to live on her own, to start her own life. I was just reading through the boards about emancipation, if it were not legal for me to sign a lease could we get her emancipated and she sign it on her own?

My response:

Yes, you can sign for her - - but only if there's not enough room in your trailer.

IAAL

My trailer? what is that suppost to mean?

[I AM ALWAYS LIABLE]

Originally posted by bamananny52
My trailer? what is that suppost to mean?

My response:

The word is "supposed", not "suppost". English 101, here we come!

Anyway, no matter how you want to "spin" this, she's still a child - - not an adult. She may be mature, but at 16, it's still too young for a child to "take on the world."

So, if there's still room in your "single-wide", keep her safe until she's 18. Give her time to mature - - EVEN MORE.

Just look at a green banana, and you'll understand.

IAAL

[nextwife]

Good heavens. If she is sharp enough to have graduated HS at 16 WHY are you and she NOT pursuing further education? You should have aps for grants/scholarships and college admissions out everywhere, and especially your state university system. Are you merely planning on having her do grunt work the rest of her life? Get an apartment and do WHAT?

No 16 year old should be living in their own apartment, no matter how presumably accomplished and mature.

[I AM ALWAYS LIABLE]

My response:

Nextwife, the only reason why this "mother" wants to allow her 16 year old to leave is because "mother" undoubtedly wants to have unabated "free time" to be with her new husband.

Trailer City, here we come!

IAAL

[HomeGuru]

If the mother home schooled the girl, then the girl still needs to take English 101.

Actually, i'm divorced and I did not homeschool her myself she had a tutor. She wants to start at a community college and go from there, we've looked into some of them and she has to be 18 to take the courses. I appreciate all of your comments but in all seriousness can I sign the lease? I'm sorry that I can't spell as well as some of you do but my daughter wants this for herself, she suggested it, I personally don't like the ideal of it but she's determined to get what she wants. She's very level headed, she can manage money and I Think she can do it.

[nextwife]

A HS kid CAN take college level courses. Check around. my brother's neice was taking advanced math classes at the University at 16, just not a full load.

Do the research and tell her, "NO WAY KIDDO, YOU ARE ONLY 16!!! You will live at home and commute to campus. End of discussion."

[HomeGuru]

I agree. Why can't she live at home?

[I AM ALWAYS LIABLE]

Originally posted by nextwife
A HS kid CAN take college level courses. Check around. my brother's neice was taking advanced math classes at the University at 16, just not a full load.

Do the research and tell her, "NO WAY KIDDO, YOU ARE ONLY 16!!! You will live at home and commute to campus. End of discussion."

My response:

Nextwife, that "ain't gonna happen."

It's Momma Bear who REALLY wants the girl to leave, because it's Momma Bear who's making this concept "inviting" to an otherwise inept 16 year old. And that's because Momma Bear has a new "squeeze" that doesn't want the kid in the house.

When we were all 16, the idea of being "free" was nearly palpable! But, the reality for a 16 year old is a recipe for disaster.

Trailer trash think otherwise.

IAAL

[nextwife]

" But, the reality for a 16 year old is a recipe for disaster."

It is that. Many 18 or 19 year old kids are still too immature to make responsible decisions while off at college, 16 is a recipe for disaster. Of COURSE the 16 year old wants this. Why wouldn't they?

Momma Bear needs to be the grown up and make it clear to Baby Bear that she really is still her baby. And that NO way should be she be living in her own place. Uh-Uh.

Trust me, you do not want the liability. You are legally responsible for her actions while a minor.