Adult Child
THE ENEMY WITH IN
The old Soviet Empire that we were so afraid of during the Cold War planned to destroy America, by destroying the American family. They did not succeed. Where they failed, I am sad to say we did not. American citizens are being destroyed by their own offspring!
Boomerangers and KIPPERS – Kids In Parents Pockets Eroding Retirement Savings. These are the names given to these adult children, kind of a mixed metaphor isn’t it. According to 2008 Census figures, 20 million people ages 18 to 34 live at home with their parents — 30 percent of that age group!
Researchers for the Network on Transitions to Adulthood found that since the 1970s, the number of twenty some things living with their parents has increased by 50 percent. Of those who moved out of the house by age 22, 16 percent returned home before they hit 35.
After just adjusting to the Empty Next syndrome and ready to devote a few of those precious years left to themselves and their grandchildren, they are back to changing diapers! That is harsh I know, but come on adult children give your parents a break.
Parents you are not off the hook. You have never really said NO to your children and meant it. Did they not still get what every other kid had, whether you could afford it or not? You did not tell them NO and now they cannot tell themselves NO. Everything is an addiction today. A six-pack of beer is not good enough or the twelve-pack or maybe the new twenty-four pack will roll over for the new forty-eight pack. One date night and one party night, Friday and Saturday, unless you had to work at Pizza Hut #4 on either Friday or Saturday night like me and my peers did, is not enough. Now its party between classes and on the way home from work at that bar or happy hour.
My generation, I am fifty-five, could not wait to leave home so we could have our freedom and live our own lives the way we wanted to free from Mom and Dad’s suspicious glare. We were fearful of what was outside that front door too, but we had to go through it. Our pride made us leave and never return, for to do so would be to admit defeat, to admit having been defeated by life!
Parents, you allow your children to behave as they see fit, rather than imposing rules that are required for any humans to co-exist together. Marriages usually fail because rules that both parties agreed upon were broken. You make it so easy they will never leave. You are practicing family welfare. If your adult children living with you do not contribute either economically or with physical labor, maybe you should consider divorcing them. I am not kidding. One rotten apple still spoils the bushel.
Parents are co-signing loans for automobiles, credit cards, down payments for houses that cost as much as the parents who struggled for thirty years to have! The reason the parents had to co-sign in the first place was because the child was not responsible enough to save his or her money. Ninety percent of parents who co-sign for their child end up paying off the note themselves and saddled with more debt. 401K plans of most parents have taken huge losses and parents may not have enough for their retirement if they spend their money on the adult children now. Social Security benefits have already been slashed and more cuts are coming.
Predictions are that for the first time in history parents may have to raise their kids from cradle to grave.
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WOW! Hummmm. Impressive! Much to think about. Much to discuss. Very provocative.
Go Peter!