One major shift that seems to be happening is an increase in boomerang kids, which are young adults who move out and then quickly move back in with their parents after college. CNN Money reported that 85% of college graduates are moving back in with their parents. The big question is how will this increased trend of multigenerational households affect the family through the recession and even afterwards? This is a hard question to answer at this point but here are some tips to help you or someone you know navigate this sometimes difficult transition of moving back home or having a child return home:

• Talk in detail about expectations– Young adults and parents both have different expectations about rules of the house, cleanliness, if rent will be paid, etc. so all of those expectations need to be communicated to each other up front.
• Young adults contribute to the household– Thinking of this time with your parents as a free ride will likely lead to increased conflict and problems with your parents. Find something you can contribute to the household it does not have to be money it could be helping out around the house, walking the dog, or errands to keep the household running and show your appreciation to your parents.
• Parent treat your young adult as an adult– Remember all the hard work you did in teaching and raising your kid, now is your time to rest, so try to resist the urge to start parenting them again. Treating your young adult as adult will likely go a long way in keeping the yelling war down.
• Set a goal date for move out– Before the young adult even moves back in set a goal for the date the young adult plans to move out and what they plan to do to make that happen.
• Parents encourage young adults– Many young adults have conflicting feeling about moving back in with their parents including embarrassment, comfort, fear, confusion.  So encourage your young adult’s efforts in looking for employment and starting out on their own.

By taking some of these tips into account young adults moving back home can be a time of opportunity for parents and young adults to have one more chance to bond before the young adult launches out into the world to start their own family and/or careers. Young adults can use this time as a chance to learn more from their parents and get the additional support all young adults need to make it in these hard economical times.

Resources used:

http://money.cnn.com/2010/10/14/pf/boomerang_kids_move_home/index.htm

http://www.twentysomething.com/ap_11_24.htm

Jennifer Wilmoth, LAMFT
jwilmoth@GROWcounseling.com