How to Kick Your Kids Out of the Nest
I was quoted yesterday in a piece for CBS MoneyWatch on what to do when you adult kids move home — or just won’t leave. Here’s an excerpt from the article:
If you hope to ever get your kids out of the house, you need a plan in place before they move back. That plan should set a move-out deadline and define what they need to accomplish while they’re home, says Christina Newberry, co-author of The Hands-On Guide to Surviving Adult Children Living at Home. Newberry speaks from experience, having twice moved home to live with her parents in her 20s. She suggests families agree to a policy for everything from overnight guests to sharing the TV and the house computer. Do not baby your children, she warns. “If you treat them like a kid again, you’re not helping them — you are creating a lifestyle that they won’t be able to maintain when they leave,” she says. “Your job is to get them to where they don’t need you anymore.”
You can read the whole article here.
Interview with Australian Radio
New research from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows that 27% of people aged 20-34 are living with their parents. We talked about this phenomenon today with 2UE radio in Sydney, and offered some tips for families with adult children living at home. You can hear the seven-minute interview here.
News story featuring AdultChildrenLivingatHome.com
We were quoted in a story in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram today about how the recession is bringing families together — for good or worse.
New grad, old room
The recession might be dealing out its leanest hand to new college graduates, who are checking out of dorms and back into their childhood bedrooms in droves.
In 2008, 77 percent of new grads moved back home, up from 67 percent in 2006, according to a poll by Collegegrad.com.
And prospects look even dimmer for 2009 graduates, says Christina Newberry, co-author of The Hands-on Guide to Surviving Adult Children Living at Home.
Newberry, 31, of Vancouver, British Columbia, has been there. She moved back in with parents twice after she graduated from college
“It’s a really hard thing to face, especially if you have been away at university or you have been away and you’ve had your job and you’ve had this independent life . . . and all of a sudden you’re back in the same bedroom you were in as a little kid,” she said.
You can read the whole article here.
Recent News Stories featuring AdultChildrenLivingatHome.com
This weekend, we were featured on News1130 Radio in Vancouver and in the Calgary Herald newspaper.
To listen to one of the clips from News1130 Radio, click here.
Our tips for the Calgary Herald article were for families who have new grads moving back home this summer. The key tips from the article are:
- Establish ground rules prior to move-in. It may sound harsh, but some families find a contract can help formalize rules and keep everyone on the same page.
- How will the kids contribute? They may not be able to afford market-value rent, but grown children should help offset the extra expenses they create (more money spent on food, higher phone bill, greater water consumption, etc.). Give them the heads up on what’s expected beforehand.
- Don’t make living at home a dream come true. A university grad is capable of painting their room, doing their laundry and making their lunch. – Set a deadline for them to leave. Setting a timeline keeps everyone focused on the fact that eventually the young adult needs to become independent.
- Stay calm. Planning the details of your kid’s return home can be stressful. Take some deep breaths and work on developing new communication techniques — they’ll come in handy.
You can read the whole article here.
Life with ‘boomerang kids’ can bring some conflicts
We were quoted in an article about adult children living at home in today’s Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
“The communication part is so important,” says Christina Newberry, 31, of Vancouver, British Columbia, whose Web site, www.adultchildrenlivingathome.com, markets a $27.97 contract for parents and children that lists the ground rules in advance.
“Conversations are helpful, but it can be really difficult when you’re having a fight to remember exactly what you agreed to do or not do,” said Ms. Newberry. “Agreeing on the rules ahead of time is a really helpful way to make sure everyone is on the same page.”