Boomerang Kid-
— n
a young adult who, after having lived on his or her own for a time, returns to live in the parental home, usually due to financial problems caused by unemployment or the high cost of living independently
You may have never heard of the term, but you may know one or two “boomerang kids” yourself. A slow economy, lack of available jobs, the high cost of education and living can all contribute to young adults mooving back in with good ol’ mom and dad. Even though many young adults just accomplished a great achievement by graduating from an institute of higher education in May, June and July may find some of those former students moving back home.
Your household may include some young adult members for a variety of reasons: saving money for their own home, difficulty finding a job or reasonably priced housing, helping to care for the young or elderly, etc. Whatever the reason “the kids” are moving back home, you may want to peruse some of these coping strategies to help ensure a smooth transition.
- Back to Normal – Contrary to perhaps a parent’s wishful thinking, an adult child moving back home does not mean everything is “back to normal”. Young adults moving back home have been living independently for the past few years from their parents with perhaps fewer rules and more freedom. A 10PM curfew is probably no longer a reasonable expectation for a young adult. However, young adults should respect household rules. Navigating your new relationship as adult parents and children that live together will be a balancing act. Household rules and expectations would best be discussed prior to an adult child moving back in.
- Boomerang Benjamins – Like politics and religion, finances are often a tricky and polarizing subject. Money is probably one of the primary reasons why your boomerang kid is moving back in. They don’t have a lot of cash, but an extra family member at home causes extra expenses. Be upfront about creating a reasonable way for your boomerang kid to help contribute to household expenses such as: buying certain groceries, paying a small monthly rent, helping pay for utilities, etc. Just because an adult child moves back in doesn’t mean the parents have to pay for everything. Parents can offer financial help in smaller ways, keeping your kids on the family phone plan and having your adult child reimburse you for their portion is a way to help save your boomerang kid some bucks. Talking about the moo-la is a hard but necessary part of the boomerang process.
- Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff – Everyone has their own personal preferences, but don’t let the proverbial small straw break the camel’s back. Common courtesies such as not eating the last of your favorite cereal, or leaving dishes in the sink can cause many squabbles between roommates, let alone adults parents and children. If something is important to you, communicate it upfront so that a seemingly small request doesn’t cause WWIII. Another adult means another car, who parks where could depend on who leaves first in the morning. Consider some of the small details of daily life, so you aren’t sweating the small stuff later.