Derfred,
Sorry mate, you’re wrong, and I don’t say that lightly...
I see young pilots working and paying for their CPL training as they go on a relatively frequent (but less common) basis as part of my daily work.
Maybe if parents taught their 18 year old sons about work ethic, and earning what they get, rather than relying on their parents, an airline or (sadly) the taxpayer (yep, those burger flippers at McDonalds and those who pump gas - sorry petrol - are the ones seemingly expected to fund someone’s 18 year old son’s flight training) then the young people of today would be better equipped to work in remote and challenging environments, with less sense of entitlement...
Make your son get a job, pay for his training and head off to learn from a good mentor. Be there to provide moral support and the wisdom of your own experience. You might be pleasantly surprised at what can still be achieved!