Informal poll shows only half of parents think their adult children should move out
A (very) informal poll on the website chazhound.com asked the question, “Do you think it’s okay to let your children live at home for eternity?”
Of the 41 people who responded to the poll, only 48.78% answered “no.” Only one person selected the answer, “Yes, I would love to cook/clean for my adult children forever,” but 14 people (34.15%) selected “Yes, they can live with me for however long they want as long as they contribute to the house.”
Of course, three people chose the answer “Clam Chowder,” so who knows what this poll really tells us! Still, it’s interesting to see that parents are clearly more willing to let children live at home — and feel happier about them being there — if the adult children are contributing to the household.
You can see the poll — and read seven pages of interesting follow-up comments — here.
52.8% of 18 to 24-year-olds living at home
A new study shows that more young adults are living at home — 52.8% of 18 to 24-year-olds. So, above all else, know that if you have adult children living at home, you are not alone — not anywhere near alone! Half of your friends probably have their adult kids living at home, too.
The study was conducted by researchers at Columbia University in New York based on data from the U.S. Current Population Survey. You can ready more about the study here.
Some great stories of adult kids at home
There are some great stories and videos about adult children living at home in this piece from The Huffington Post — plus a trailer for a movie called Tiny Furniture, which explores the relationships in a family with a college grad moving home.
Boomerangers: Meet College Grads Who Have Moved Back Home
“Bouncing Back” documentary on CBC Radio
Today I was quoted in a documentary called “Bouncing Back,” about the Boomerang Generation, on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s The Current radio program. You can hear the documentary, which features interviews with boomerang kids, parents and several experts, here.
More tips for helping adult children living at home to find a job
Recently, I posted a video with tips on how to help adult children living at home find a job. Since this is a hot topic, I’ve just posted an article with some more details and tips on helping your adult children in the job hunt, and I wanted to share it with you. You can find the full article on my website here.
If you just want the quick ‘n dirty version, here are the key tips:
1. Help your adult child create a resume (but do NOT write it for them).
2. Offer job-searching advice (since your kid may not know how to look for a job beyond searching the Web).
3. Work your network (but get your adult child to make contact on their own).
4. The most important tip: Do not submit your child’s resume to employers, or follow up with employers on your adult child’s behalf.
Again, you can read the whole article by clicking here.
Video: College students talk about moving home
Recent statistics show that 85% of college grads move home to live with their parents for at least a little while. In this video from NTTV Nightly News, University of North Texas students talk about their plans for and experience living with their parents, and UNT’s economics department head offers some advice.
Boomerang kids’ impact on your budget
Today, I provided some key tips for a story on Reuters.com about how boomerang kids moving back home can impact your budget. Here’s a quote from the article that all parents thinking about welcoming boomerang kids back home should keep in mind:
“There’s a misconception from the adult children’s side, and sometimes from the parent’s side as well, that it’s free to have the adult child come and live at home as long as the room is there and available. That’s just not true,” Newberry says.
You can read the whole article on Reuters.com here.
Looking for an American family with boomerang kids
A TV network in Washington, DC is looking for a U.S.-based family with boomerang kids at home to appear on-camera in an upcoming documentary. Families from anywhere in the United States are welcome. If you’re interested in doing an on-camera interview with a TV crew, and your family lives in the United States, please send me an e-mail at christina@adultchildrenlivingathome.com and I’ll put you in touch with the producers.
How to help your adult children living at home find a job
One question many parents with adult children living at home have is how they can help their adult children find a job. The key here is that while you can be a helpful resource for your adult children, you need to be careful not to do too much. You can work your network and offer job-hunting advice, for example, but you should never call a potential employer on behalf of your adult child, or actually write their resume for them. Here’s a video that offer some great tips on how to help your adult children living at home find a job:
Upcoming documentary on adult children living at home
Last week I spent the day with a crew filming a documentary on adult children living at home for CBC television’s documentary series “Doc Zone,” sharing some of my insights on this growing trend, and also talking about my own two stints living at home as an adult. It was a great day, and I’m really looking forward to seeing the documentary when it airs, probably about a year from now. In the meantime, they are looking for families with adult children living at home to interview. They’re a great crew, and if you’re interested in speaking with them about your family, I’d be happy to put you in touch — just send me an e-mail at christina@adultchildrenlivingathome.com.
Here are some pictures from the shoot:
