Georgiatwins

Hey, baby boomer parents, back off! - CNN.com
My husband read this article last evening and I thought everyone on the Parent's Board would enjoy reading this. Will be interested to hear other parent's reactions.

moonchild

This message has been out there for the last few years. Is this author just getting on board now?

I don't like articles that put everyone of one generation in the same basket. It's condescending and unfair.
My second year of college, I decided to change schools and came home to live with my parents while I got my act together. That was 1970. Was I being an entitled, spoiled brat? It never occurred to anyone to ask that question. I did what I had to do. Finished school locally, got married, worked - didn't have kids until I was 34. My DH didn't "find himself" in his current career until he was 32. We were late bloomers, so I would not criticize young adults who are trying to find a place in this crazy world as it is today. Look at our political landscape, our financial institutions, and the world economy. This is not a happy world. It's tough out there, in more ways than just the job market.

That said, of course it's silly to hand-hold a kid through college, but honestly, I don't know of anyone who actually does that. Offer a place to land afterwards, perhaps, but it's only a temporary respite. I know of exactly 0 young adults living at home who are not also working at a good job and saving money. Some are socking away money to pay off loans or buy a home. No loafing about in our circles. Where are all of these video gaming loafers?

compmom

I am reading a good book called "Accordion Families" about the international trend toward kids living with parents into their 30's. The author wants to debunk the idea that this generation is any difference in character, and points to the economy, loans and globalization as reasons for the trend.

Interestingly another book I am reading is called "Going Alone" and has the contradictory message that more people are living alone than ever before.

mathmom

I'm not sure what exactly she's saying, but I was struck by this:
And my immediate thought was, so? My parents helped me through grad school and very grateful I was too. I haven't lived with my parents except for one summer since I was 16. I've got one kid who finished college and is living on the opposite coast - I can't imagine that his wedding will make me feel I should be involved. We'll be doing the happy dance though if he ever has a significant other! Younger son, will probably have a harder time finding a good job, but I can't imagine him majoring in any else.

Longhaul

I'm well into middle age and my parents still help us. Weekly they send us cooked meals or drop off something they picked up at the grocery store and wouldn't take money.

I can see how this is considered "financial" help by some, but in our extended family this is just what we do for each other.

geeps20

really? aren't 50% of recent grads unemployed...

JHS

I thought that was interesting, too, and looked back to the source. The statement in the article is the result of very sloppy journalism/editing. The underlying study says that 42% of people 18-39 who are not students are receiving or have in the past received some form of financial assistance from their parents, but 58% of parents of non-students 18-39 are providing or have in the past provided financial assistance to one or more adult children. That includes things like keeping kids on their insurance, letting them live at home, helping with a house downpayment, or contributing to their grandchildren's care. To tell the truth, I am surprised that only 42% of under-40 non-students have received some such form of help, or that less than 60% of parents have provided it. I think some of them are forgetting things. And stuff like wedding and birthday presents seem not to count, for no good reason.

I also doubt very strongly that those numbers are meaningfully different now than they were in the past. My parents helped all of us at various points in our 20s, and for one sister significantly beyond that. My wife's parents did nothing for her (except pay for our wedding), but a lot for two of her sisters. Financially, that is. When my wife was on bed rest while pregnant with our second child, my mother-in-law moved in with us for three months to help care for our first child. No money changed hands, but that was worth tens of thousands of dollars.

The study also indicates, by the way, that only about 20% of the parents who are currently helping adult non-students or helped them in the past feel (or felt) that their children needed to be more diligent about looking for work, or similar thoughts.

Classof2015

Can you imagine anything more depressing than being given the task of coming up with a catchy title on poorly substantiated conclusions based on a thinly researched topic day after day after day? Some overworked editor is probably tossing out ideas for articles purely on how many clicks they'll get. They ride the trend (bashing helicopter parents) until they choose to reverse it. Let's see how many "stories" we can come up with:

New study shows chocolate is no longer an anti-oxidant -- it can actually cause cancer!
Regular exercise causes heart attacks in 7% of people studied.
Stress-related cancer -- it's all in your head.

mspearl

On average, shouldn't babyboomers be grandparents by now?

moonchild

Is that the stat? I have a hard time believing it. I don't know of any unemployed young people. Underemployed, maybe- depending on their expectations, but unemployed, nope.
Both my kids and their friends have jobs. Not their dream jobs perhaps, but jobs. And the two kids I know who are living at home have excellent paying jobs, contribute, and are saving to buy condos or houses.


My in-laws lived with us for a year when they had sold their home and hadn't found a new one. Those ingrates!!
( A year of my MILs wonderful cooking.)

It's called being a family.

garland

Thank you! Yes!