Keeping jobs and self sufficiency

[Gerald Wilgus]

Given that he's 30, this is indeed tough for you to help with. Will his part time work pay his bills in independent accommodation? When you say you both financially support him, do you mean his job doesn't even pay enough for him to buy basics? What financial support does he need other than board and lodging if living at home and working part time? Should he not be contributing a little rent? Can he get some appropriate accommodation perhaps?

It's maybe a bit late to easily get over to him these realities if he doesn't understand or see any of this for himself. Perhaps sit down with him, work out a plan, with tasks that he can have support with. Bearing in mind the short period to help ending, which he may not have believed is a real deadline?

Actually my opinion is that the parents infantilized him and are now perplexed that he has no motivation and responsibility. I've seen too much of that, rewarded for participation and told that one only needs to do what you like. No employer is going to consider a 30 something with no employment record, no portfolio, no successes. Ya gotta start at the bottom. Not much fun, but necessary unless you are brilliant. I see continued paralysis in his future until he can understand and actually take getting work as his full-time job. You'd think with all the juried art fairs around the country, he'd get a portfolio together and some work for sale . . . he'd need a van and equipment to set up a display. Getting any job now that will buy supplies and perhaps he could get ready for next summer. Many people going to such fairs are also looking for talent, so he needs cards and an ability to be friendly with people.