u/Glittering_Ease_6482

I’m 24 years old now, but once when I was teen, my parents made it clear that the moment I turned 18 I was out of their house whether I wanted to or not. It wasn’t a condition whereby if I didn’t go to college or find a job, they would put me out, they were doing it regardless of what I was doing with my life.
They never taught me about filing my taxes, investments, home ownership, budgeting or anything that would be useful to me after I was out. I learned it all from my aunt who passed away a while back.
When I was 18, the week after I had to move, I had a second hand car and I stuffed all my belongings in it. A friend of mine parent offered to let me stay with them for free until I could afford my own apartment, it took me 5 months with endless work to find one. I’m always in debt to my friend and her mom because they never asked for a cent and even pitched in when I got my first apartment.
I cut contact with my parents after they put me out but they’ve been trying to get into contact with me for the past 6 years, I know all of this from my cousin.
I struggled really hard to make ends meet, got into community college and held down a job with great benefits all on my own. If I ever have kids I’d never put them out at 18 until they’re ready to move out on their own. It’s hard and cruel. Why do parents do that? Should I reach out to them? Or should I just continue doing me and let them punish?