Why Are Young People Moving Back in With Their Parents? (ideas, sucking)
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"Individuation and financial autonomy have long been the ideals for successful maturity, but current times necessitate changing our ideas about what it means to "grow up."
I got to page two. The job market sucking isn't the jist of the article. Plus, this trend was occuring long before the job market sucked.
I'm going to toss out my own opinion as to why this is happening. Our society and children are more driven by material things than independence. Children today have expensive interests compared to our generation as children. We didn't have huge 'entertainment' expenses in addition to living expenses when we went out on our own. We didn't have to pay for cell phones, internet, etc. We simply had rent and utilities to contend with on our own.
Society today won't do without all the luxuries. They don't just want a cell phone, they want a Blackberry with all the bells and whistles. They don't just want internet, they want high speed internet. And they're willing to trade independence to have these luxuries. They don't want to move out until they can have it all. That wasn't the way it was when we were young adults. We moved out and counted pennies. And we were happy to do it too!
I got to page two. The job market sucking isn't the jist of the article. Plus, this trend was occuring long before the job market sucked.
I'm going to toss out my own opinion as to why this is happening. Our society and children are more driven by material things than independence. Children today have expensive interests compared to our generation as children. We didn't have huge 'entertainment' expenses in addition to living expenses when we went out on our own. We didn't have to pay for cell phones, internet, etc. We simply had rent and utilities to contend with on our own.
Society today won't do without all the luxuries. They don't just want a cell phone, they want a Blackberry with all the bells and whistles. They don't just want internet, they want high speed internet. And they're willing to trade independence to have these luxuries. They don't want to move out until they can have it all. That wasn't the way it was when we were young adults. We moved out and counted pennies. And we were happy to do it too!
That wasn't the way it was when we were young adults. We moved out and counted pennies. And we were happy to do it too!
You forgot to add that we walked to work, in the snow, in nothing but cheap flip flops and a threadbare coat, uphill both ways...
Times were different. There were things we thought were necessities that our parents considered luxuries also. Some kids today do feel entitled and have no idea how to downsize or do without. So did some kids back "in the day".... Most people I knew got some kind of a job right out of college/high school without too much trouble. Some moved out of their parents home some did not (for a variety of reasons both financially and culturally). It's a matter of living within your means. Everyone has to figure this out for themselves. Hopefully, this is something that is addressed continually as they are growing up not left to them to figure out when they are an adult.
I would add that being an adult means being responsible for your own things, and living with mom and dad make things definitely easier. Even if the kid lose his/her job or runs out of money, the parents will be there to cushion any consequences... or at least that's expected. (Hm, "entitlement").
Society today won't do without all the luxuries. They don't just want a cell phone, they want a Blackberry with all the bells and whistles. They don't just want internet, they want high speed internet. And they're willing to trade independence to have these luxuries. They don't want to move out until they can have it all. That wasn't the way it was when we were young adults. We moved out and counted pennies. And we were happy to do it too!
Thats so true. I'll always remember when I first met my boyfriend he had a basic flip phone (this was last year). I asked him why he had such an old phone and he said "there is no point to getting a new phone when this one still works". Keep in mind he makes more money than I will probably ever make in my industry.
Where as my other friend literally can't afford groceries and has to call up "men" to her out to eat when she wants food. Yet she just bought the new Iphone 4.
I've noticed that some of these new grads want everything their parents have and more and they want it immediately. It's much easier to live the lifestyle you are accustomed to while mom and dad are paying the billls.
I think a lot of it is financial and started over the past 10 years or so right as the "housing boom" began to move costs out of the range of most salaries. People are graduating college now with large debt loads that need to be taken care of and then they are faced with needing to save for a downpayment on a home that costs even today double what it did even 10 years ago.
I think it has as much to do with a perfect storm of declining/stagnating salaries for BA level individuals, coupled with ever increasing tuition expense at even mediocre state schools and then add on the drastic increase in housing costs. People today are graduating from state schools with BA's and counting themselves lucky to be earning $40k a year while paying down college debt that averages over $27,000 that most likely contains a mix of low interest federal and higher interest private loans. Most people find themselves paying $500+ a month as minimums on their school loans. Getting your own place is difficult without roommates to split the cost and your social circle may not be in the area where you live.
I think the intelligent do move back in with mom and dad, pay down their debt and save for the future (wedding, house, kids, etc.) Others feel it may be a bit of a time to enjoy life after getting through college and there is currently a lot of pressure on 20-somethings not to settle down, but enjoy life and their youth before moving on to responsibilities like marriage and children.
Add on to all of that the fact that many companies now contain career paths that will necessitate relocations and moving among the "go getters" and getting your own place right out of college is less and less of an appealing option while you pursue your career.
I moved back in with my parents for about a year before I met my wife and we got our first apartment. I used that time to pay down my college debt and save for the future. I expect that my kids will also be boomeranging back into my house after college for the same reasons.
In all honesty, while it may reek of entitlement, it is a good move for many reasons.
My son will graduate from college in 18 months. He has lived, and paid for, his own apartment for the past year. He works part time and attends school full time. It isn't easy. He eats Ramen noodles more than I want to know. He has a lot of student loans he will have to pay off.
When he graduates we have told him that he may move back home for no more than two years. In that two year time he will be expected to pay his loans, have a full time job, and be putting money away to move out. In other words, you will have a plan and be working towards it.
I don't see anything wrong with that. What I have a problem with is college grads moving home without any plans to move back out. I am all for helping you get on your feet but not for long. Now, what will we do if he can only get a minimum wage job and can't afford to move out and pay back his student loans? Don't know. I guess we will have to deal with that as it comes.
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