By. Madelyn Bartels
In other countries, like Japan or India, it’s normal for three generations of a family to live together; however, here in America once someone turns 18 they are more than likely to move out of their parents' house. It’s just something we’ve grown up noticing and getting use to: once you grow up, you leave the nest, and explore on your own. You do have to wonder why this is though.
If we think about it, it is financially irresponsible to set expectations upon new adults to move out as soon as they can. Think about it - as soon as someone graduates they are either placed in college, or starting a job that can’t support them enough to “fly out of the nest.” In places like America, if someone is past the age of 25 and still living with their parents it’s a red flag for the people around them. These individuals are ostracized from their age group and seen as irresponsible, pathetic, and/or childish before someone even knows why they are still living home. In our society, for some reason, it makes more sense to go into debt to move into a tiny house (that, or find a roommate that you could end up hating, but can't move out because moving back into your childhood room is a social suicide).
Another thing we should talk about is the fact that moving out so fast could make a drift between parent and child. The child has spent 18 years living under their parents' roof, seeing them (in most senses) daily. So, taking away this sense of home, could create a ravine of lost communication between a parent and their kids.
However, some may disagree completely, saying moving out has been the best thing to happened between them and their parents. This is always an outcome, because of the child being free from “my house, my rules” situations. After a certain point in life most kids crave the freedom to do what they want.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in the article “Independence for young millennials,” it’s stated that around 90% of people born between 1980-1984 moved out of their parents house at 18, only for more than 50% to come “boomeranging” back. The article also states that in 2002-2007 the percentage of children coming back was larger. This crawling back home could not only put a strain on their social life, but also their mental life. If kids feel that they have failed, they will think they don’t have the skills they need to survive on their own.
Before we send kids off on their own, they should be thoroughly taught how the financial world works. It's not realistic for all young adults to feel the need that they need to leave as soon as they reach adulthood. Not only does it strain them emotionally, financially, and maybe physically, it also could ruin their self-esteem if they feel the need to go back to their parents for help. If we prepare children for the real world, then maybe it would be an easier thing to expect, but there are too many factors that go into one “being ready.”
It is an unrealistic goal financially, and emotionally, to have kids leave as soon as they reach adulthood. Other countries have up to three generations living in one household, but in America it is seen as taboo. Many kids do not have the skills they need to survive well on their own yet. They should be taught how to live on their own, and all the skills they need to financially survive in the world. Too many kids come back to their parents home feeling discouraged. I feel it should be less taboo for a person to still live with their parents, with reason. This is not saying while the child is back with their parents that they shouldn’t be learning the skills they need; I am just saying it’s unrealistic to believe all kids are ready to move out and be perfectly fine as soon as they fly from the nest.