I think people stay irresponsible if they are allowed to do so. I count myself among those who didn't. Yeah, I was a flake at 16--one of my more memorable gaffs was backing my mom's car full speed into a telephone pole--but my mom made me grow up. I spent my first two years of college locally, then transferred to a bigger state university. Mom told me flat out that if I moved back to her house after I was done with college, I would have to pay rent. After my 3rd year of college, I declared myself independent to qualify for more student grants rather than loans, and I never lived with my mom again. She pushed me out of the nest and made me fly on my own. ;)