Do parents still have authority over their children once they turn 18?

The short answer is, well, no.

As soon as someone turns 18, they are, by all means, considered an adult. It may surprise some people to learn that adults don’t need paper slips from their parents so that they can miss work, and they don’t have to ask their parents’ permission to stay out late.

This surely surprises the parents below, who still treat their son as if they have full authority over him. Even though he is a 20-year-old college graduate, his parents still refuse to let him move out of their house. Luckily for him, however, he doesn’t need their permission. As long as he can manage by himself financially, there is nothing his parents can do to hold him back, despite their great attempts.

As this son prepares to start University, he is also secretly planning to move out, but doing it behind his parents’ backs still feels wrong. Should he feel bad for wanting independence?