According to the most recent census figures (USA), 56 percent of men and 43 percent of women ages 18 to 24 live with one or both of their parents. Some of them never left home, while 65 percent of recent college graduates move back in with Mom and Dad when they finish school. Even before the current economic crisis, pressing financial concerns have driven this trend toward parents 'opening the nest' to their adult children. Although some parents actively encourage their adult children to move back home, others grudgingly accept that an adult child may need extra help launching an autonomous life. The Complete Idiot's Guide® to Open Nesting helps parents-and their adult children-deal with, and make the best of, this growing trend of living together again in an all-adult household.
The book offers practical solutions to all the issues of open nesting, including:
- Helping young adult children make clear-cut plans and set reasonable goals for future independence
- Making room and determining boundaries all family members must respect-especially important when younger siblings also live in the family home
- Confronting matters parents thought they'd left behind-dating, sleepovers, and getting adult children to do their chores
- Setting rules-and why signing a contract with adult children makes a lot of sense
- Dealing with the special difficulties that can arise when adult children move back home-and bring their own children with them
- Preparing for the ultimate launch-helping adult children leave home for good.
- The book is focused on the interests and concerns of the parents, but it never forgets that the adult children have serious concerns and needs as well.
