Do you live with your adult child? Have you ever considered it? We’d like to include your thoughts in an upcoming story in Thrive.
When our son and daughter-in-law in Atlanta bought their latest house, it hit all the marks: a nice yard for the kids, plenty of space for entertaining, and fancy kitchen appliances.
It also had something that never crossed my mind: space for my husband and me, “In case we need to move in someday,” as our son casually put it.
We’ve lived in Garrettsville for 36 years, my family is in Northeast Ohio, and I relocated to the South after college. It was nice, but not a place I’d move to now. Living with one of our adult kids isn’t on my radar, but it’s a trend that’s growing. About 30 percent of older adults live with an adult child or are in multi-generational households, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
The reasons vary: Some people want to establish closer bonds with their family. For those with young kids, a grandparent can provide reliable and inexpensive childcare. Money is another reason: Two families can live almost as cheaply as one if they’re sharing a house. Many times, an aging parent needs a caregiver and moves in with an adult child for that reason.
We’re working on a story for our fall issue of Thrive about the benefits and downsides of living with adult children, specifically moving into their home or combining households. The story isn’t about them moving into your home; we’ll save that for another time.
Please email me at [email protected] and we can talk about your experience. My deadline is mid-August, so sooner is better.
By the way, our daughter lives in Houston. Maybe we’ll end up down South, after all.
