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My recently-retired mother, me, and my two sons have lived together for about 18 years now. We don't have separate apartments or wings or anything in the house. Obviously separate bedrooms, but the rest is shared. We get along well, finances are split appropriately, and I'll be around to care for her if she needs it in the future.
I think multi-generational or multi-family housing is great. Why does everyone have to be so alone these days? (Yes, I realize some people like that, which is fine, of course.) As long as no one is taking advantage and there is no inter-personal stress, I think it's a smart option... especially financially.
When my husband retired, disabled so forced out, we moved to a house I had purchased 5 years early with 5 bedrooms and 3 baths in Weirton WV. We brought our youngest son and his family to live with and take care of the both of us, I am also disabled. My oldest son also moved with us so we have 7 of us here now. Three generations, us, two sons, son's wife and two grandchildren. My other 3 children and my other grandchild are still back in MA.
So you are not alone.
Last edited by arwenmark; 04-09-2018 at 02:07 PM..
I'm experiencing a multi generational household for the second time. Both involve adult children and grandchildren moving back home.
The first time was with my daughter who was living at home and got pregnant. They lived with us from birth until he was almost five. It wasn't something any of us planned for, but my wife an I knew that if we didn't help out (place to live, food on the table, babysitting, etc.) that my daughter and grandson would struggle considerably.
Now we're enjoying it a second time as my son is now living with us after a divorce and a job loss. The bonus is that he gets my granddaughter two weeks a month, so we get to see her a lot more than we previously did.
Would I have preferred not to have been in these situations? Yes, but life happens. I'd rather be planning for retirement and downsizing.
My daughter and her family moved in with us for a year while they saved to move to Alaska. They left last May. In June my son, daughter in law and 14 yr old grandson will move in with us. How long, not sure. They want to save money to build a house. I am looking forward to it. My daughter had a 2 and a 3 yr old so a 14 yr old will be so easy.
I'm experiencing a multi generational household for the second time. Both involve adult children and grandchildren moving back home.
The first time was with my daughter who was living at home and got pregnant. They lived with us from birth until he was almost five. It wasn't something any of us planned for, but my wife an I knew that if we didn't help out (place to live, food on the table, babysitting, etc.) that my daughter and grandson would struggle considerably.
Now we're enjoying it a second time as my son is now living with us after a divorce and a job loss. The bonus is that he gets my granddaughter two weeks a month, so we get to see her a lot more than we previously did.
Would I have preferred not to have been in these situations? Yes, but life happens. I'd rather be planning for retirement and downsizing.
A lot of folks think life is some fairly linear upward progression without dips.
I lived from 2012-2016 in Iowa and Indiana. I'm from Tennessee. Back in 2016, I was probably going to lose my job in Indiana. Finances were getting out of control. I got a job paying the same I made in Indiana, and moved back home for awhile until I dug myself out and got the finances under control.
It wasn't what I wanted to do and it was unexpected, but unemployment, divorce, illness, can happen to anyone.
Or am I an anachronism? I started sharing my paid off home with my daughter and her family when husband was ill. It has been about 8 years now.
In my family we have a history of multi generations living together on both sides. My grandparents, parents, siblings, and my husband all died at home surrounded by family. Is this an oddity now?
We share all bills pertaining to the household including property taxes, insurances, maintenance, utilities and groceries. We could afford separate homes but sharing frees up money for both of us allowing more family activities and savings for her and freedom of worry when traveling for me. In addition as part of the nuclear family I am aging in place. I am part of the daily life and as I age it will be a normal part of life not an outside force.
Does anyone else choose multi generational lifestyle?
But that doesn't necessarily mean you move back home.
Would I have "survived?" Absolutely. Would things have been rougher? Absolutely.
I was fortunate to have kept my salary. I paid a third of the expenses. That allowed me to keep my expenses down, much lower than rent, for awhile until things stabilized.
I would do it for my family if they got into financial trouble. It's what families do.
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