The transition from childhood to adulthood can be challenging - even under the best of circumstances. Many young adults living at home are not emotionally or financially ready to live independently. When parent expectations for adult children don't line up with what the child is thinking or doing, conflict can arise. This often leads to disrespectful behavior and noncompliance. In the articles below, Empowering Parents experts discuss effective ways to establish clear limits and boundaries in relation to young adult behavior. These parenting resources will help guide you and your child through this transition.
Many parents today are faced with a dilemma: How do I support my adult child in becoming independent? Do I let my adult child live in my home while they struggle to find a job? These parents think: "The economy is bad…maybe there really are no jobs out there. Should I continue paying for things... Read more »
The phenomenon of adult children living at home and dependent on their parents has become a national problem. Indeed, more and more kids are living at home with their parents well into their 20s and beyond. And, most concerning, more and more of those kids are idle and going nowhere fast. Unfortunately, today's kids don’t... Read more »
More and more adult kids are coming back home—or never leaving in the first place. If you are in this situation, you are not alone. A recent study says that one-third of young people, or 24 million of those aged 18 to 34, reside with their parents. Whether your child is contributing his fair share... Read more »
If you, like many parents, have an adult child living at home with you, you’re not alone. There’s an epidemic of young adults in our society who are struggling to get off the ground. In many families, this works out fine—the adult child is responsible and contributes to the household while they set themselves up... Read more »
Do you have an adult child living at home who’s driving you crazy in one way or another? Do they seem unable to do chores around the house, contribute financially, or be respectful? If so, you are not alone. In recent years, the old expectation that kids will move on and out of the house has... Read more »
Ah, the battle cry of the "almost adult"! Parents all around the country cringe when they try to enforce a family rule, only to be met with their 17-and-a-half-year-old's shout: "Soon, you won't be able to control me at all!" Is that true? Are all bets off once your child reaches that golden age of 18? The... Read more »
In Part 1 of “Adult Child Living at Home?” Debbie Pincus talked about the things you can—and can’t—control when your older kids move home—or when they’ve never left. In Part 2 of this hands-on series, Debbie advises parents on what to do before your child moves home, and how to handle it when the living... Read more »
“I sacrificed for years to make sure my son had the best education possible. Now, he's out of high school and working at a low level job and says he has no intentions of going to college.” “My daughter never calls unless she wants something. Even then, she is rude to me!” “My son is a slob!... Read more »
You put in the work: you raised your child, got them through school, and prepared them as best you could for living on their own as an adult. You were looking forward to having the house to yourselves again—finally, a little peace and quiet. For many parents, the peace of a child-free home is short-lived, if... Read more »
This article is the first in a 3-part series by Kim Abraham, LMSW and Marney Studaker-Cordner, LMSW on the growing problem of adult children living at home. Are you one of the millions of frustrated, exhausted parents whose unmotivated adult child still lives at home with you? Like many in this situation, you might be feeling... Read more »
