Boomerangers: Back to Mom and Dad
In Australia they’re known as “kippers”—Kids in Parents’ Pockets Eroding Retirement Savings.
In America they’re called “boomerangers”—adult offspring who return to live with their parents, sometimes bringing a spouse and children, unable to financially make it on their own.
Everywhere they have been the stuff of sitcoms and punch lines: irresponsible losers adding to the sofa’s sag while subtracting from the kitchen cupboards.
But the freeloader image may be inadvertently falling away, a welcome casualty of the ongoing recession, which, in some cases, is helping reshape what it means to be a responsible American family in an era of mounting crises.
A married Utah couple who could no longer make ends meet moved into his parents’ basement. “Staying close to your family in times of need, that’s the most important thing in the economic crises,” the husband said. His wife added, “It’s sad that people feel like they can’t turn to their families for help, or they feel like there’s something bad in doing that.”
Boomerangers are now more likely to help than loaf, splitting the costs of food and shelter in their parents’ homes and sharing domestic responsibilities. “As Americans face tougher economic conditions, we’ll likely see more of this,” said a vice president for AARP, which recently analyzed census data and recognized some new changes in families. In the past year, more than a third of retirees have had to help their offspring pay bills. More adult children are living with their parents, continuing an upward trend since 2000. And the number of multi-generational households has increased from 5 million in 2000 to 6.2 million in 2008.
“Kin is becoming the safety net of last resort,” wrote one reporter, “in part because overwhelmed social service agencies are reaching their giving limits.” A social services expert added, “Families, friends and social networks are becoming more important ways that people are coping.”
Tell us what you think: Is it still parents’ responsibility to launch self-sufficient adult children into the world? What would you do if your adult kids wanted to move in and be bailed out?
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Mrs
Yes, it is the responsibility of parents to continue to help if necessary. The Bible admonishes to ‘provide’ (NOT ‘indulge’) for our own families if the need is critical. I see more and more families blending together as in days gone by – my own, is one of those. I never dreamed this would happen in MY family, but things happen, and we are obligated to care for our own.
Martha Pratt | 6 months ago
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"Boomerangers"
I do believe it is still the parents’ responsibility to raise self-sufficient adult children, and did so myself with two now grown sons. However, in these hard economic times, I also believe that family should help each other. As long as it doesn’t turn into a “freeloading” situation, or revert to a parent-child relationship again, I think family support during a tough time is fine. I would let one of my adult sons move back in on a temporary basis, as long as we agreed on the shared responsibilities and it was clear that he was setting goals and making plans to be self-sufficient again. I would not want to hinder his progress towards his own independent life. I love my sons dearly but it is also my job as a parent to teach them their own life skills, as I won’t be around forever.
Wanda Burdick | 6 months ago
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Sad times for all
I know several of my friends that moved back home after losing very good jobs, yes it takes a lot of pride to go back to the nest after you have been on your own some 30 years or so, but necessary if you lost everything to this economy.
Cynthia Johnson | 6 months ago
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Mr Merle
I think it is great to see families helping each other. If you can’t count on your family than who can you count on? Families need to stay close in the trying times we are all facing. It is important to ask for help when you really need it after all it’s not just about you; we are all in this together. Help, support and love from loved ones are very important tools to teach our children and also to be reminded of ourselves. Keep it in the family if all else fails you still have each other.
merle roger burkett | 6 months ago
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Do for others as you would want them to do for you
My feelings are any time my kids want to come home they are welcome as long as they help me and themselves and my grandchildren too.
charlene I sayers | 6 months ago
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Nothing new under the sky...
It goes back to the 1930’s right before DHR came up with the social security system that wasn’t meant to be a lifestyle for the poor Americans, but it does. Still is probably until the truth start to be told to the American people that the party is over. The importance of the extend family disappeared because economics and start to emerge.
Marlen Arguedas | 6 months ago
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Grandparent with 4 living adult children - self
I have all I can do to take care of myself along with added social services. Not because I won’t take care of myself – if I had the use of another leg and arm – but I am confined to a wheelchair or a cradle crane.
Lost my speech but, in my opinion, have recaptured some of 80-85% of speech. Learned to pick up and punch with one finger on left hand and have built 4 web sites, etc.
Atty. George A Tetreault , Jr. | 6 months ago
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Survival winners
This is how many families made it through the Great Depression. I’m not talking about spoiled kids who want mom and dad to support them forever. There are people of every age who are struggling financially and coming up short of paying for the basics of life; housing, food, utilities and transportation. This is also not about a long term arrangement. Families should be able to come together to care for and support one another during tough financial times. It’s about survival to be able to come out on the other side of adversity, ready to make it on one’s own again. It’s a win/win!
Jeanette Landeis | 6 months ago
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This is SO one Sided...
They’re are many parents who need help. A child who CAN move home is a help… not all CAN or chose to. I moved home to help my family’s needs. This is a subject that can’t be solved with one easy answer.
Sharon Meredith | 6 months ago
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Retired
I have never understood why there is an age assigned at which a parent no longer should help their child. This is what is wrong with this country. If a parent has a “problem child” or one that runs into difficulty (either because of their actions or the actions of someone else) they want to foist this child off on society to take care of instead of doing what most of our forefathers did and that was to “TAKE CARE OF THEIR OWN”. I BELIEVE THIS IS WHY MEDICARE AND MEDICAID IS SO OVERBURDENED. PARENTS WILL NOT TAKE CARE OF THE CHILDREN THEY BRING INTO THIS WORLD. Like so much of our society, there is an attitude of “this shouldn’t be my responsibility – “let someone else do it”.
Delma Jones | 6 months ago
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