Everyone is mad here, or why adult kids should live on their own

Once kids get to be 18 in this state, they're considered adults. It seems like the adults in this house seem to think that it means they can do what they want (or not do anything) when they want and that the parents' job is to continue to take care of them while they go about their "adult" lives having fun without being tied down to responsibilities like:

helping around the house
contributing to household expenses
cleaning up after themselves

At least a week ago, TB took the DVR recorder away from the kids in the family room. It was a mess because they weren't picking up after themselves, and we're talking about not only socks and shoes but dirty tissues, gum wrappers, pens and so on. The plan was supposed to be that they'd lose that first, then the DVD player and then the TV. Well, it turns out that the DVR recorder is in the cable box and so they've lost that and the TV and TB isn't in a mood to give it back.

The kids can't seem to get their acts together either. Kristin's been busting her butt cleaning up after the three of them and when she harangues the other two they promise to pick up after themselves but don't. Sometimes Heidi loses her temper and screams at Kristin. How did I raise lazy kids?

And maybe we're picky because things could be a lot worse...but is it too much to expect them to respect certain areas of the house? Their rooms are disaster areas. We don't want that mess spreading downstairs.

And no one pitches in voluntarily.

If adult kids want to be treated like adults, it seems to me they need to get out on their own and see what the real world is like.

Meantime, TB and I are both sick again.