If you start to hear strange noises from your attic or basement, don’t worry that you have been invaded by squirrels, mice, or zombies. Chances are more likely that it’s either one of the people who birthed you or who you, in turn, birthed.
According to the Atlantic Monthly, which gets its data from a recent Pew Center report, the number of Americans ages 25 to 34 living withtheir parents has jumped to about 5.5 million—a figure that accounts for roughly 13 percent of that age range. In addition to this 13%,there is what is estimated to be another 25-30 percent who have returned but haven’t informed their parents. They are living in crawl spaces, garage lofts, tool sheds and recycling bins.
Compounding this full-house phenomenon, the grandparent generation is “doubling up” too, as the sociological literature says. According to the Pew report, “The Return of theMulti-Generational Family Household,” during the first year of the Great Recession, 2.6 million more Americans found themselves living with relatives; all told, 16 percent of the population was living in multi-generational households—the largest share since the 1950s.
When asked by an Atlantic journalist to elaborate on the research findings, an official at the Pew Center said, “We have the same problem here. Some adult children and parents of our Boomer employees are living in the employee cafeteria. We keep running out of snack foods and toilet paper.”
Slate magazine, writing about this trend from the young person’s point of view, acknowledges that living at home can be a real crisis. Slate asks a riveting question: “How do you date, invite friends over, feel like a grown-up going to a job interview, when your mom is polishing your shoes?” Unfortunately,the question couldn’t be answered because 25 percent of the young adults interviewed for the article didn’t have moms who would be willing to polish their shoes. The remaining 75 percent didn’t know what “polishing one’s shoes” meant.
Reality TV is already planning a new show entitled, “There’s Always Room for More,” in which young, male, good-looking, burly contractor-types and young, female, even better-looking interior design experts, with the help of the families themselves, transform modest three bedroom, 1.5 bath homes to accommodate these new, multi-generational families. The highlight of each episode is when grandparents decorate their grandchildren’s living areas and grandchildren do the same for their grandparent’s. Show producers are having a tough time with this segment, because thus far, each generation, upon seeing their new living space, has then quickly found other places to live.
Sigrid Rogowski
June 20, 2011
This is an excellent post.I love it and shared it with Facebook,Twitter,Digg,StumbleUpon.
lifeintheboomerlane
June 20, 2011
Wow, Sigrid! Will you be my agent?
Kathryn McCullough
June 20, 2011
This is just too funny, Renee! I love the line about 75% of young adults not knowing what shining their shoes meant! That is hysterically perfect!
Kathy
lifeintheboomerlane
June 20, 2011
I kept staring at that quote in the article. Of all the things they could have chosen–polishing shoes? Do people even do that anymore?
run4joy59
June 20, 2011
Funny…I’m glad I don’t have either the kids or grandparents living with me..I’d hate to have to murder someone!!
lifeintheboomerlane
June 20, 2011
Two of my three kids took turns coming back after college. It went on for years, but I did love it. But I never had to house the older generation.
Carl D'Agostino
June 20, 2011
My parents both approaching 88 have lived with me last 10 years
lifeintheboomerlane
June 20, 2011
And I think you are wonderful. I never had to think about that. My mom died when she was 60 and my dad insisted on going into assisted living after he got a respiratory infection and had to go to the hospital. He told the staff “I’m not going home. I want to go to assisted living.” The hospital called me. I was floored. No amount of “discussion” would change his mind. Then my aunt (I’m her only family now) did exactly the same thing about five years ago.
Lisa (Woman Wielding Words)
June 20, 2011
Funny! But oddly true. My daughter informed me yesterday that she is never leaving. Of course, why she wants to stay when we already argue all the time and she is only 8 is beyond me. I just have to make sure I have a good attic or basement. 🙂
lifeintheboomerlane
June 20, 2011
My daughter said exactly the same thing at that age and kept repeating it for a couple years. When I would remind her of that in later years, she would roll her eyes. But she did come back for several years after college, and those years were such a gift.
Carole Marshall
June 20, 2011
You would enjoy a show we have here on TV called “Packed To The Rafters” about just such a situation. It is a comedy of course, leave it to TV to hit us where it hurts,after all they have been presenting war and mayhem as entertainment.
lifeintheboomerlane
June 20, 2011
Thanks for visiting Life in the Boomer Lane, Carole. Funny comment about that TV show!
The Good Greatsby
June 20, 2011
I love Packed to the Rafters, and I’m not even Australian. My wife and I are in the middle of season 3. I’m worried because the show is making me warm to the idea of all my family living together as adults.
lifeintheboomerlane
June 20, 2011
Ooooh, can I join your family? My own kids get a bit nervous when I tell them I plan to wear multi-colored capes and berets in my twilight years and spend my time as a shaman/healer/ sage. You seem a bit more open-minded than them.
pegoleg
June 20, 2011
The polishing your shoes part struck me too – did they really put that in the article? My husband is the only person under 80 that I know who still does that.
You find the most interesting, funny news items to comment on, Renee. Great, as usual!
lifeintheboomerlane
June 20, 2011
The ridiculous thing is, they did. I’m thinking it had to be tongue-in-cheek. I’m fascinated that your husband polishes his shoes.
pegoleg
June 20, 2011
I keep telling him he’s ruining those tennis shoes.
lifeintheboomerlane
June 20, 2011
You are too funny.
Simone Benedict
June 20, 2011
At the age of 55 my mom decided to tune in and drop out. When I asked her where she planned to live she said, “With my kids.” After doing that for about a decade, she again got her own place. We were all relieved she decided to live like a grownup.
lifeintheboomerlane
June 20, 2011
Wow, I wonder what induced that. 55 is so young to be in that emotional space. Good thing she recovered!
Amanda Hoving
June 20, 2011
I’m sure I’ll change my mind someday, but…right now I want all four of my kids to live with me forever. Is that so wrong?
lifeintheboomerlane
June 20, 2011
Not at all. I’d love to have my three (and their significant others) with me forever, as long as I could continue to be the Beloved Font of All Wisdom In-Charge MOMMY. But I don’t think it works that way. On the other hand, I did have my daughter here for several years after she graduated from college. It was fabulous.
SisterMerryHellish
June 20, 2011
You might have found the one reality TV show I’ll watch!
deliriouslydivine
June 20, 2011
My 25 year old was here for me a year, fighting unemployment, a nasty break up and driving a used orange (bright orange) state truck. He commented more than once hard it was to get laid when he told a woman he was living in his mom’s basement. He started referring to me as his ‘roommate’. It put a crimp in my lifestyle as well! We got along quite nicely, but I have to admit some relief when he left.
Are there really kids hiding at their parents’ place? That’s hilarious…how could you not know?
lifeintheboomerlane
June 20, 2011
Ok, I made that stuff up about kids hiding in their parents’ houses. But I’ll bet somewhere…. Hey, I hope your son (roommate) is doing well now. Isn’t it great that when they need us, we are there for them?
georgette sullins
June 22, 2011
I’ll SHOUT THIS OUT HERE! My daughter got her dream job offer just yesterday! God is good!!! YES, there’s HOPE! And I love your last comment “Isn’t it great that when they need us, we are there for them?” I LOVE your perspective and unconditional love.
lifeintheboomerlane
June 22, 2011
Hurray! Please give her my best!
writerwoman61
June 28, 2011
My dad has lived with me for the past thirteen years (he lived with my brother before that). My mom lived with my brother for the last four years of her life. My oldest daughter moved out for three weeks when she was eighteen, and came back and stayed for another three years! She’s gone again now. I worry that Jim’s son will still be living with us when he’s 25…sigh…
Wendy
lifeintheboomerlane
June 28, 2011
I love that people like you are there to support your family. I know it can be difficult. My dad only lived with Then Husband and me for a few months, but it was a real eye-opener. My daughter came back for several years after college. That was great. My son came back for about a year after grad school.
notjustagranny
June 28, 2011
hysterical!!!! funnily enough my daughter and I recently visited South Africa for a quick catchup with family and friends. she met up with 3 school friends from 1998 all of whom are still living at home…all are in their 30’s! now that came as a surprise.
fortunately I dont have a home so no grandparents in the attic or offspring in the cellar or visa-versa 🙂
lifeintheboomerlane
June 29, 2011
Lucky you!