When Adult Children Com Home
My wife and I recently sent our last child off to college. We are ready to sell the house and travel, but our oldest daughter doesn't have a job and plans to move back home. What should we do ?
Most North Americans expect their children to move out of the house at eighteen. But that's changing. Today, more adult children are returning home to live. some don't have jobs or can't pay for the high costs of housing. Some are recently separated or divorced. Most are single, but some come home with a wife, husband, or child, too.
Most parents are happy when their kids come back home to live. However, when a son or daughter can't find a job-or is recently divorced-there can be problems. And if their son or daughter is still at home at the age of thirty-five, many parents are no longer happy.
In your case, what if your daughter moves back home?
- Don't worry. If you and your daughter had a good relationship when she was younger, she'll be fine. Help her in any way you can. And it's OK to ask, "How long do you plan on staying?"
- Don't treat your daughter like a child. In our culture, adult children don't feel good about living at home, and they don't want to depend on their parents' help. Tell her you understand.
- Talk to your daughter as an adult. Have a discussion about paying for expenses and helping with household responsibilities and chores, such as kitchen cleanup and doing laundry. If you and your daughter talk and try to understand each other, everyone will be happier.