MOST TEENAGERS are motivated to leave home to get what they crave most ­ force behind them leaving home is the privacy and independence that comes with being out of one's parents' house. You now have your own keys so you can come and go as you like without anyone telling you what to do. There are no rules.

Tiffany, now 23 has been living on her own for two years. "The thing I treasure most is my privacy," she says. "You are out of your parents' house so you do not have to listen to them, you can come anytime, you can go anytime." Is moving out just an excuse to do things your parents' would NEVER allow you to? Not according to some of the persons we spoke with.

Eighteen-year-old Silvia also wants to move out of her parents' house because she wants her PRIVACY. She complains that she does not have the freedom of going out and coming in as late as she would like, her mom treats her like a child. Janice says "Nothing beats the sheer thrill of having your own keys, paying your own bills and doing your own thing. It's a sort of independence that you can't get living at home."

DISADVANTAGES

But, while these adolescents crave their freedom and independence, it comes at a cost. The most difficult challenge they face is financial. Surviving comfortably each month after they have paid the bills is not easy. Janice says sometimes she has to do without luxuries such as a trip to the salon each week and settle, instead for a "do" every two weeks. She gets a clothing allowance and a rent cheque from the company for which she works, which lessens the burden and reduces the amount of income tax that she pays. However, she says sometimes she cannot go to the supermarket, she can't go out and it's depressing when there is no money in the bank. Before she actually moved out on her own she thought she would be having friends over and partying all the time. Now 'partying' is reduced to a once a month dinner and a movie with friends.

Shana explains that when you are living on your own, your life no longer revolves around personal needs. You now have bills, so spending wildly is a thing of the past! You have to now familiarise yourself with a little thing called budgeting. "I budget. I know I have certain responsibilities, it's not hard, you just have to know how to monitor yourself and budget...I have to realise that I need more than clothes and shoes."

Tiffany says the hardest part of being on your own is, "When you get the money and it is gone." Sometimes she has to get financial help from her father. Now, she has to be paying for things she used to get for free when she was living with her parents'. "Now I have to worry about all these things, go to the supermarket make sure every thing is running right."

DIFFICULTIES

Whatever the reason, at first it is difficult for these young adults when they begin living on their own. Tiffany says the hardest part is cooking, cleaning house and washing. She admits that she is not very domesticated ­ her mom tried but she never learnt. Some of these things she knows how to do, but, she hates doing them. Janice admits that sometimes it gets lonely. It was not the constant party she had thought it would be, as sometimes her friends are not around.

Tiffany said at first she was very lonely getting to know herself and making new friends. She called her parents' every day and every chance she got she went home. "I miss them most when I get sick, I don't like to depend on strangers. I like to have familiar people around me when I am sick." She has two room-mates and living with complete strangers has taught her a lot. One of her room-mates is from Trinidad and the other from Barbados. Besides getting over the cultural barrier, she also had to learn to compromise so that they can get along.

ADJUSTING

Despite what adolescents go through when they try to survive on their own they all say that living on their own has been a wonderful learning experience. Some take it as an opportunity to 'find themselves', especially during the first few years. Shana said it was a good thing she left home when she did. The break was exactly what she and her mom needed. Tiffany says that living on her own has made her more assertive.

LETTING GO

Sometimes parents find it hard to let go of their children and let them brave the world alone. Mrs. Janet Murray admits that she takes a long time to let go of her children. Her only daughter, 22-year-old Monique, will be leaving home in a week to begin her new job in Kingston. "I'm going to miss her," she said. The only time Monique has left home was when she started University. "What was comforting about that situation was that she would be living on hall. She would be in a cluster with people she could relate to." Monique's mom said that at first she was nervous, and she wanted to call her every day to find out if she was coping.

Now that she is finally leaving home, her advice to her daughter is to "study people, choose her friends well and do not take people at face value. Be cooperative but at the same time maintain her standards." Monique is not worried about flying solo. She says her experience from living on hall has taught her a lot about people and how to deal with different personalities.

As a child Janice says she wasn't bombarded by a lot of rules. But then at the same time she didn't abuse that freedom so her parents don't worry because they know that she is astute enough to take care of herself. She says that her parents are the best and how she was raised contribute to her being so mature. Children are going to find out certain things, you just can't stop them. "I know she (mom) hates Kingston but she knows I can manage." Tiffany said at first she spoke to her parents every day, and every chance she got she went home ­ which was every weekend. Her mom even calls to make sure that she eats her vegetables.