Tricky life for ‘boomerang kids’

I remember the glorious day I turned 18. The transforming age to adulthood meant the end of curfews, groundings and asking for permission. It was an insurgence of freedom that seemed almost too good to be true and, in my case, was short lived.

My grandiose dreams of a flourishing nightlife with no one to answer to quickly transformed into an expensive endeavor. I never imagined how much the “cost of living” actually cost. As I was beginning my college career I found myself broke and quite discouraged.

After about a year I realized I was trying to work and go to school full time, while doing neither of them very well. I decided my education needed to be more of a priority so I, along with my pride, packed up and moved back home.

At first I felt ashamed to tell anyone I was living at home with my parents and younger brothers. It seemed as if everyone else I knew was going out and making it on their own.

Now, at 21, I know the last two years at home were not only beneficial to my savings account, but I was also not alone.

Hard economic times and a dismal job market have caused many adult children to move back home. The coined term for this phenomenon, “boomerang kids,” refers to adults who move back home after attempting to leave the nest and, in essence, failing.

Like many college students still living at home, one benefit is being able to get financially prepared when moving day does come. The cost of living at home is minimal compared to living alone or with roommates and paying rent and various other bills, plus other costs associated with surviving.

While not coming with a cash price tag, living at home comes with a different cost. One being that residence is no longer a requirement but more of a privilege. In my case, while there are no strict “ground rules” I must abide by, there are certainly implicit conducts of behavior I adhere to.

I don’t come home in the early morning hours, stumbling through the door and I inform my mother if and when I’m going out, in addition to if I’ll be home that evening. Oh, and no boys allowed.

Living at home while trying to learn how to be an adult presents some complex challenges. On one hand, one feels they should be treated as an adult at home in the same way others treat them in a social or professional setting. There are moments when I feel I shouldn’t have to disclose where I’m going or if I’ll be home since I no longer need my parent’s permission to do so.

At the same time, growing older doesn’t mean parents care any less, and they are still concerned about their child’s well being. I know that when my mother incessantly calls me just to make sure my date isn’t a psychotic murderer and I’m still alive, she means well.

Living at home can provide an opportunity to save up and pursue future goals with the means to do so. I’m making sure that when graduation approaches and I bid my home farewell, I will not have to come knocking at my parent’s front door again.