Being a parent is difficult. I enjoyed every second of raising my kids so far, including the difficult times, the fights, the punishments. The rewards are far greater than the stressful moments.
Yet a case like this seems - I say seems, because we can't ever know all the details - to be indicative of many things that are wrong in American society today. Entitled kids? Maybe, that's very common. Abusive parents? We've seen that, so it's possible. Litigation to solve something which should be worked out privately? I have no idea why this is in court, but there are plenty of cases in the courts which have no reason being heard. These people need counseling, not lawyers.
I believe in a 'my house, my rules' environment. Children, even some young adults over 18, often don't understand why rules exist, don't want to know why they exist, and want only what they want. Furthermore, once a child turn 18, and particularly if they decide to leave home permanently - for any reason - they have to accept responsibility for themselves. As a parent, if my child left on good terms, I would offer and provide assistance when it was needed and requested. If they left on bad terms and immediately made demands on me and the rest of the family, let's just say things may not work out as well. The child should expect and understand why that might happen. If they were willing to take steps to remedy the situation, they would always be met with welcome arms.
I can't say Rachel Canning is entitled, I don't know. The superficial information seems to indicate she is and simply isn't happy living within her parents' somewhat strict governance. But that's part of the the parent/child dynamic. I don't put limitations on who my boys can hang out with or date, but I have had long, and often difficult, discussions with them about the types of kids they spend time with. Other parents take a much more active role. We all have a different approach, and it's my opinion that the house makes the rules regardless of how I make my own house rules. If the child lives in the house and relies on the parents, then that is part of the package.
I can see a situation where Rachel may deserve something, but it would have to related to abuse above and beyond just tough parenting. She makes some allegations, but apparently has no evidence. There seems to be plenty of evidence of bad manners and lack of respect. I can't see her winning this suit. Whether she does or not, the concept of being 18 and 'owed' something by your parents is far from assured. As parents, they did spend 18 years of time and money getting her ready to go out on her own, and Rachel seems pretty qualified to do that based on her performance in school. On the other hand, the ACA does require we insure our kids until they are 26 (as one commenter noted, if they are claimed on parents' taxes), so maybe coddling is the government's way of providing for the next generation.
