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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 ...
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!
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