I heard on the news the other day the term "Boomerang Generation". Now my ears perked up as the word boomerang was uttered. I decided to do a little research to find out the latest on this newly coined group of people.
Here is what I found at Wikipedia
Boomerang Generation is one of several terms applied to the current generation of young adults in Western culture. They are so named for the frequency with which they choose to cohabitate with their parents after a brief period of living alone - thus boomeranging back to their place of origin. This cohabitation can take many forms, ranging from situations that mirror the high dependency of pre-adulthood to highly independent, separate-household arrangements. The term can also be used to indicate only those members of this age-set that actually do return home, not the whole generation.
I came across an article by USA Today that contained some interesting data.
During the 1940's more than 70% of singles 20-29 lived with a parent. This level hasn't been reached since.
Steven Ruggles, who oversees Census computerization at the University of Minnesota, states "There is an increase of boomerang kids, but it's small scale. If you look in the broader historical perspective, you see it's trivial."
Unmarried young people today were raised to be more independent and are marrying much later, sociologists indicate. Those who either move back home or never leave most likely do so for financial reasons.
"Real wages for young people reached their peak in 1973. They were more independent because they could afford it," says Ruggles, a history professor who is researching the American family from 1850 to 2000.
The early 1970s were a time when many boomers were coming of age and were independent of their parents, so they have the same expectation for their offspring.
"When everybody used to live with parents, it was not surprising," Rosenfeld says. "Now, when parents send their kids away to college and, if they come back afterward, it's a little bit surprising. We notice it more because it's not supposed to happen that way."
Census data reflects something surprising: Young singles have almost always lived at home with their parents, and today's singles are less likely to do so than in the past.
If you find yourself in the middle of a home invasion by your adult child, the experts advise putting together a contract. It will set expectations and should make the second time around a little easier.
- Sit down with the child and determine what his or her long term goals are. Are they moving back home for a specified amount of time or is it undetermined.
- Set down your guidelines for a young adult moving back into the home such as guests, volume of music, curfew, smoking and drinking in the home and any other habits that directly affect the other members of the family particularly younger children. Older siblings are an influence on younger siblings and should recognize this as such.
- Assign a bill for your child to pay to ensure he or she remains responsible. Whether the amount paid is for a utility, a set amount for rent, or other specified amount, it is important the young adult understands the importance of being responsible for his or herself.
- Most importantly sit down as a family and emphasize the importance of mutual respect for all family members and the importance of maintaining a safe and well balanced home environment particularly if younger siblings are being raised in the household.
- Make certain your young adult child performs duties that keep the household functioning such as laundry, dishes, housework, and yard work.
Forget about what you did when you were his/her age - returning to the nest can be a vital lifeline for your offspring, especially in todays economy. Your job as a parent will always include helping them to take another step towards maturity.
Recent Comments