"What ever happened to growing up and moving out?" someone asked. The fact is, a growing number of young adults are living at home with their parents. Is this a problem? Well, sometimes yes, but sometimes not at all. This episode, we're talking about how to work through the young adults leaving Mom and Dad's home for a place of their own.

Back Home Again

The U.S. Census Bureau reports that in 1969, less than 10% of young men (ages 25-34) lived at home with their parents - and more than 80% were married and living with their wife. In 2019, though, nearly 20% are back home (or still at home) with Mom and Dad, and only 36% are married.1

There are many reasons that may be so, but popular wisdom aside, it's not necessarily a sign of failure or character weakness when a young adult is living in "the natal household," as one researcher puts it.

3:15 - Census figures on young adults and their living arrangements

5:45 - Reasons good kids may still be living at home

7:30 - How can we prepare our kids to be independent adults

15:25 - A word from our sponsor

16:25 - The importance of the parent-child relationship during this transition

18:11 - How to handle a young adult who puts the family at risk

22:00 - When your adult child wants to move out and you the parent are holding him or her back

25:55 - How to help a young adult who's "stuck"

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References

* Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, Annual Social and Economic Supplement, 1967 to present; table AD3, "Living Arrangements of Adults 25 to 34 Years Old, 1967 to Present"

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