Posted on 03/02/2010 12:41:19 AM PST by jerry557
Scott Letzter thought when he moved away to college that he had left his childhood home for good.
His plan was to graduate, launch his career and live on his own. But at 24, Letzter is living at his parents’ house in Johnsburg, still sleeping in the bedroom he had as a child.
“I thought I would have more of a steady job, something that gets me on the right path to what I would call a career,” Letzter said. “I don’t really feel like there’s any job security.”
Letzter is part of a growing demographic called Boomerang Kids, adults who move back in with their parents after living independently.
Recent studies show this living arrangement is on the rise. And not only does living with mom and dad signal a delay of other life plans, it can create challenging situations at home and be disappointing to otherwise ambitious millennials.
According to a survey by the Pew Research Center, one-in-10 adults between ages 18 and 34 said the crippled economy caused them to move back in with their parents. Fourteen percent of young adults said they postponed having a baby, and 15 percent postponed marriage because of the recession.
“A lot of us feel like, we go to college and get the right job, and life will be in an upward trajectory,” said Elina Furman, author of Boomerang Nation. “But we’re seeing it now: You can work as hard as you want and look for a job for years but, in this economy, it’s hard to find.”
(Excerpt) Read more at nwherald.com ...
Bump for reference.
ping.
Twenty-three years later, she's still way out of my league, but we're still together!
Many “kids” come along way after their parents’ early struggles. They only experience life after parents have paid their dues. They are traumatized when they must leave and struggle in their early independence. Some parents support the extension of their child’s dependence (sometimes inadvertently). They make convenient excuses for their child’s inability to enter the struggle necessary to establish their independence. DIMs like this because it establishes a lifelong dependence and weakness.
Der Prinz and I, who got married when we were young and broke, just had our 21st anniversary. We lived in apartments for years after that.
Having a large family encourages the children to move out as soon as possible ... although our oldest now admits home - with her own room - was pretty comfortable compared compared to sharing a berth with 20 other young lady seamen on the Coast Guard cutter.
Ha, I feel your pain.
Daughter # 1 picked a flat out loser as her first pick. Took her 18 months to see what we saw in the first meeting. Had to move back in to sort things out.
Second pick is much much better and we hope things work out for them.
I had one of those next door. I went down to Best Buy and picked out a nice set of headphones for about $45, wrapped them up, put the kid's name on the package and left them (anonymously) on the door-step.
Ah, the blissful silence from that day on...
He still makes noise when he practices with his buddies, but all of his picking is done with the head-phones.
Lots of young adults living at home in New England, as highest in the nation property taxes have driven rents north of $1000 per month. That’s rough on those just ‘starting out’. Down south, where property taxes are lower; I noticed many young couples out living on their own...rents are more affordable.
“Another question..is this really a bad thing? Most societies around the world, having children live at home into adulthood is perfectly normal. Children take care of their elders. Instead in America we send them off to 3rd parties (nursing homes). Maybe this is what we will soon end up with in America. I mean do you really think these kids are ever going to have the money to park your big butt in a nursing home?”
I couldn’t agree more. I grew up in a multi-generation household. My kids are now growing up surrounded by 2 generations of role models and maybe that will give us an edge over all the bad influences waiting for them out in the world.... and the thought of ever institutionalizing either of my parents in some nursing home leaves me cold, it’s just not what we as a family do.
bttt
Two Words....
Room Mates
A three bedroom apartment renting for @$900 is $300/per month when three people are paying rent.
Most 1 bedroom apartments in my part of the country go for @500-700.
It’s Simple Math
When times are tough -Bunk Up
Just happened to catch this part while browsing. Laughing at this one ;) Thanks.
>>Most 1 bedroom apartments in my part of the country go for @500-700.<<
In Massachusetts? - really?! My pleasant but simple 1BR in northern NJ is $1,300.
bttt
We voted the liberals in power and didn’t pay attention to what they were doing when times were good.
freeing up of all these big houses so the those with large growing young families could afford them.
What big families?
I don't live near Boston :)
I can see this both ways- it all hinges on the relationship between the parents and adult kids.
For one, the parents typically own a larger home- more home than they need for just them. Having an adult child in the house not only makes descent use of the space, but also provides many older parents with a sense of security.
Another thing to consider is that the parents’ home is likely equipped with lots of perks- appliances, televisions, cable/satellite, perhaps a pool. Why would the kid want to throw money away on renting an apartment and furnishing it? Instead of watching the big game on a TV on a couple of crates, he could watch it on his parents’ plasma.
The last thing to consider is where is the kid going? While having a job and choosing to live at home while saving up for a down payment on a house or to pay cash for a car is one thing. Smoking pot and playing guitar in the basement (to quote a recent Offspring song) all day everyday is something completely different.
/raises hand
I’m on of those 20’s (21 year old) children living at home. However, I am here because my parents asked me to move back in after graduating in December (trust me I was the one kicking and screaming to leave. I wanted to prove myself, my parents just shrugged it off as why would anyone not want to live at home). I stay with my grandmother who lives with us to help her and my father shoots me some design jobs through friends. He wants to start a magazine with me, and he is an amazing business man, but we just in the earliest stages.
But I’m lucky I guess, I have a chance to build up my portfolio, when the media market is horrendous and I am enjoying building up relationships with my family. I really didn’t have close ones when I was younger, but now that I’m older I can relate to my parents so much better. Most of my male friends can’t find jobs either. They are either going back to school or starting there own businesses.
Ah... you have much wisdom. It does make a big difference. I’m about 20 miles northwest of NYC, and it’s pricey here, but it’s all relative: In the city itself, I’d be paying double or triple, and the place would stink of cigarettes and rat droppings.
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