"Comrade, there was living space for 13 families in this one house!"
Posted on 11/25/2012 10:04:18 AM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
Being roommates with your parents after age 21 sounds like a nightmare for most, but Jessica Bruno wouldn't have it any other way. Bruno, a 40-year-old mom, wife and DIY blogger, lives with her 62-year-old parents, Connie and Fred, in their Sutton, Mass., home.
Oh, and there's Bruno's husband, Tony, and their 6-year-old son, Tony Jr.
Think that's a lot of people under one roof? There's more. Bruno's grandparents, Grace, 80, and Fred, 82, live in the house, too. That's seven people from four generations living together in one home. Actually, make that nine: Bruno's two stepdaughters, 12-year-old twins Alexia and Gabriella -- Tony's kids from another marriage -- stay with them on weekends.
It might sound like a crowded living situation, but it's not uncommon. The Bruno family is one of 4.4 million American households who have three generations or more living under one roof. There are also an estimated 51.4 million Americans that currently live in homes with more than two generations. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, multigenerational households are a growing trend, up 30 percent between 2000 and 2010, a figure that will only continue to grow, experts say.
"We've seen a 25 percent increase in demand for multigenerational housing structures over the past two years and expect to see more," said Luis Tusino, CEO of the GBI-Avis building group, which specializes in building custom modular homes.
The Bruno family has gone to great lengths to accommodate all the residents of their home. They've added 2,000 square feet to the original house over the years, expanding it to 5,000 square feet with three spacious and separate "wings" -- one for each family. They've spent about $70,000 in renovations...
(Excerpt) Read more at realestate.aol.com ...
"Comrade, there was living space for 13 families in this one house!"
There’s a family on our street where half their kids (late 20’s and early 30’s) have moved back home and have been there for years. The “kids” mooch off the parents who also were heavily subsidized by their parents. It’s a family tradition!
Periodically the “kids” bring their girlfriends and boyfriends to spend a few days in mom and dad’s home. With all that coziness it’s just a matter of time before one of the “guests” has a liason with another family member. That will be interesting. LOL.
I think it’s a great idea. In fact, I wonder if part of this is less financial and more emotional. People used to live near or with relatives and see them often.
For every middle-aged couple who rejoices at the thought of an empty nest, there is another who misses the kids. And practically every kid I’ve ever known would like more time with Grandma and Grandpa.
During the Depression, my mother’s family ended up living together even though they worked in the public sector (cops and firemen) and, therefore, missed the worst of that time. I truly think they were very close and kind to each other. We used to call it “extended families.”
Nothing at all unusual about this around the rural area where I live, especially as I was growing up. Used to see lots of multigenerational homes and properties. Cases of sons and grandchildren building homes on the same property as the grandparents, or in some cases all of them just living together.
Over the past 20 years, I’ve noticed less of it. Most of my peers, and their parents had moved away from ‘the nest’. but it seems to be making a comeback in a hurry.
I have 6 children, 14 g/children and 4 gg/children, I'd like to see all of them more often but have them live with me? No thanks.
The difference is that Zhivago’s house was overtaken by strangers - stolen from him. This is more about sharing.
You bet this will continue to happen, as more people lose their homes, the economy continues to remain in the toilet and enter another recession, and rental unit rates climb, people will have no choice but to live with close relatives. Get used to the idea, it’s already happening.
I expect them to start assigning “empty” and “underutilized” homes to Obamaphone recipients. England is already doing it.
Single mother-of-six finds £2m mansion on the net... and then gets YOU to pay £7,000 a month rent
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1250993/Single-mum-finds-mansion-net-gets-YOU-pay-7-000-month-rent.html#ixzz2DGA0ae00
My God! I just checked your link out. My mind is completely blown.
So what is old is new again?
Not surprising given the economy. And this is just the beginning.
If I were going to do this with my family, I’d prefer a “family compound” with several houses close together on a common piece of land. Gives more privacy.
This has been common for years with Armenian families in the Los Angeles area.
Oh, sure that's how it starts, then the government steps in and says, what about all the people who don't have traditional families.
Heck, I’m going to mooch off of my kids when I’m old, I’m telling them to study hard, because I want them to get a nice big house so that we can move in with them.
This is a wonderful return back to true family life. When your parents and grandparents stay with you, you take care of them and they take care of the kids.
That green one has the power supply for the entire pod....
Hope that works out for you. Just take your parent hat off when you move in; independent kids resent unsolicited “guidance” from mommy and daddy. :)
I’m single, 60 years old. As an empty nester, my house was many times bigger than I needed. A couple years ago my daughter, hubby & 2 small grandkids moved in with me. Part of my deal to get my son in law thru college. We all get along great, but we’re lucky.
We have a “family” of Mexicans living in our neighborhood. the enclosed the garage and made another room, or two, or three....not sure. Now when they open the garage door you can see studs and sheetrock. The HOA is supposedly trying to do something about it. It’s definitely against the rules.
Now, THAT is what HOA’s are FOR! Not going after flag poles.
I grew up on one of those family compounds. Aunts and Uncles on both sides, Grandparents in the house in front. Even though it was considered an urban area (El Monte), my chores after school were to feed the chickens and gather the eggs, gather firewood and chop kindling for the firewood boxes on Grandmas front porch.
My concern are not multi-generational home but unrelated multi-family homes.
Why is it only in America where we say, “You’re 21, gtfo NOW. And grandma, you can’t bathe yourself any more so you gtfo too?” Is it our culture of independence? Is it our affluence in comparison to other countries? Family should be a death grip. “Get motivated and shoot for your dream. We will not abandon you before you’re ready and we won’t send you away to die alone.”
Had the remodel planned and laid out on paper and the budget worked out in anticipation of Romney/Ryan and was looking for an architect and contractor to help me make it happen.
I would have employed a few people to get it done, bought a lot of material from local suppliers and think it would have improved the neighborhood. Oh well...so much for that idea...not spending any more money and certainly won't be borrowing any!
+1
I lived a state away from my children, but I was in a resort area and everyone would spend some vacation time with me. Then, two years ago there was more snow than usual and my children worried about me alone up there all winter, and since I’m “elderly” actually only 88, they convinced me to sell my house and move in with my bachelor son, so I did, and since I have 3 children in the same town, it has worked out just fine for all of us (well maybe not my son). But I own a commercial strip mall and I told him he doesn’t have to pay rent.
I grew up in a multi-generational home (I’m 59.) My widowed grandmother came to live with us when I was 2, and she lived with us until she passed away I was 12.) Then my great aunt lived with us (during my HS years and died when I was in college) because she was alone and didn’t want to live on her own.
We (my husband and I) followed suit and my MIL lived with us once my FIL passed...it just seemed like the “normal” thing to do (our kid took it in stride ) She has passed away, as has my mom, but we’ve let my dad know that he has a place here with us, if he ever wants to move in.
I know plenty of families who have 3 generations, living under one roof (I know one who has 4.) But these folks aren’t destitute, or forced into this decision. It is considered normal and makes things more convenient and practical...but not always easier :)
What a wonderful lesson for children to know that when someone is elderly, and perhaps in ill health, we don’t put them away in a nursing home, or retirement center, but live together as a family. (In our case, 3 siblings, my father, our son and DIL, and some nieces/nephews and their families) all live within 2 miles of each other...it’s a great support system and makes life so much easier, even though we’re not all living under the same roof.
“Why is it only in America where we say, “You’re 21, gtfo NOW.”
That’s really old. In our earlier history, many children were supposed to be on their own by 16, and most certainly by 18.
In other countries, children of 10 are earning a part of the income for the family, and by 14 or 15 are major contributors.
Only in America, do we think it is swell to have 26 year old “children” on their parents’ health insurance. We coddle them much too long.
I'm all for it. Of course there will be friction, at times, but there's a reason why religious communities live in community. It rounds our sharp corners. It's humbling. It forces us to get outside of ourselves. Overall, it's a healthy thing.
The downside is children who won't work. Children who won't work have to be thrown out, as a last resort.
How nice, one of the kids is named ‘Jihad’.
This was the goal of the progressives, who wanted to break down the family, and coincidentally, the industrialists, like Rockefeller and Carnegie, who knew that broken-up families produced more compliant workers. (See "The Underground History of American Education). Rockefeller and Carnegie spent more money establishing teacher colleges and schooling research, then all levels of government combined. And their methods were based entirely on behavioral psychology, or animal training. It was a natural fit in the heyday of Darwinism.
The Socialists in Prussia developed compulsory schooling to remove children from the home. For the same reason, Carnegie and Rockefeller promoted compulsory schooling in America.
Additionally, the Socialists sought to replace the church, as the source of charity, with the State. Bismark began the welfare state in Germany.
Finally, the communists sought to break down the moral order, because irrational people could be led around by their... natural tendencies.
Again, the communist desire to break down the moral order coincided with the goal of modern business practices. Edward Bernays realized that irrational people made good consumers. They were driven by emotion, rather than intellect.
I don’t know. One side of my family had the multi-generational thing going. They all got along great and it was lovely to see. Will always remember all the “old folks” rocking away in the living room. I personally left home at 18 and NEVER could have lived with my parents . ...which is sad.
I would like it with my own family, but there would have to be enough room, separate entrances, and places to go to get away and be alone, or to get work done. Other than that, I’d love it ... I think what’s important is that everyone minds their own business and keeps their mouths shut when appropriate. I think it takes a lot of mutual respect for everyone in the family for it to work ...
3 Generations in a shipping container
Could be a song...
We all live in a rusty Shipping Container!! (not a yellow submarine)
It’s not just Mexicans doing that these days
Like I said... they ain’t all Mexicans...
I have relatives (not that close) who have turned a house into a “flop house” - with all that entails... use your imagination...
bluehouse....
The way the schools and media are making kids, I say if your old enough to have sex, then you are oldest to get out!
Until returning WWII vets and their families bought into the first wave of single family homes, the multi-generational home was just the way things were. Actually it can be a blessing, if the grandparents are willing to sit with the kids, if not every day for Mom and Dad to work outside the home, at least from time to time, to allow some ‘away time’.
This is basically the end game, given our financial situation. It’s the way it was in this country for hundreds of years, and it’s the way most of the world has been for thousands of years.
It was only a couple of generations in time that we were wealthy enough to separate our generations - and we managed to blow that, BIG TIME.
Today we have “kids” who have been turned into selfish, entitled brats with no sense of decency. Who would want to live with that?
“Why is it only in America where we say, “You’re 21, gtfo NOW”
You need to get out more. Oh, and study animals, too. I don’t know any that keep the offpsring around past the point they cshould be taking care of themselves.
Let’s turn your statement around: Why ISN’T a 21 year old adult taking care of themselves??? Just what kind of retarded child did your raise? How terrible of a parent are you to have failed to teach your child to thrive?
I started doing chores around the house and farm as soon as I was able to carry in a stick or two of firewood, probably by age six, I’m not really sure but by the time I had a two digit birthday I was plowing in the field with a draft horse, swinging an axe and pulling one end of a five and a half foot saw to cut firewood. By the time I was in high school I was expected to take care of my duties before and after school without supervision. I milked the cow and fed stock before school and again after school, after my older brother finished school and went to work I cut the firewood with a ONE MAN SAW and an axe and worked the little farm by myself, I just didn’t plant as many acres as when my brother was helping. All of this is probably why I very eagerly enlisted in the Navy and left immediately after graduation to go to boot camp. I needed some rest!
and all those people think more liberalism and more socialism is the answer probably.
The Obama's wanted to destroy the American dream. "Middleclassism" they called it, this false idea that you should live better and be wealthier than your parents. The New Normal is here now.
Just like Southfork!
RIP J.R.
Read the last three pages of Harrison’s “Make Room! Make Room!”
After reading some of these posts, I count my blessings. Mrs. OP and I have no children (by choice) and all siblings live far, far away. So, we live with lots of room in a very large house on 26 acres of woodland. Well, we do share our house with two dogs.
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