As young adults moved back in with their parents during the pandemic, experts believed in a "return to tradition." But the trend has had a surprising result
Until recently, it was quite common for people to share their homes with relatives - the generations supporting each other, the older ones lending a helping hand to the younger ones, etc. It is only in the (post)modern era that fundamental changes have come about, involving separation from the extended family and independence. Thus, young adults usually move away from their parents when they become economically active. And leaving aside the aforementioned 'maman', the model of 'living on one's own' (and 'in one's own' - albeit e.g. renting) might actually seem perfectly desirable. But the coronavirus epidemic (and in particular the rather long lockdown) has shown that staying in the family nest may not be so bad after all.
It was during the pandemic that many young people began to move back home to their parents. According to a survey conducted across the US, a full 52% of young adults aged 18 to 29 were living with one or both parents last July, the most since the Great Depression. No wonder, then, that voices have been raised that this trend could contribute to a further redefinition of home and family. That people would (re)understand that family togetherness can be a good thing. "Perhaps the pandemic is an opportunity to rethink a living arrangement that is often vilified," wrote one commentator in the US Atlantic last summer.
Homecoming as a chance to reunite with parents?
The truth is that the home, the one in which one grew up, can undoubtedly be seen as a stable environment. Moreover, in the course of the global shutdown, moving back to one's parents' home has become a solution for many people who suddenly find themselves without an income and thus without the possibility of paying rent. And of course, the whole situation actually provided an opportunity to 'be together again'. This is undoubtedly a thing that many of us do not appreciate in these hectic times. Although it is quite common in the USA that members of one family live literally scattered in different states, which is certainly more complicated in terms of visits than a trip from Olomouc to Prague, for example, it does not mean that the bonds in Czech families are any stronger than those in American ones. In fact, it is not surprising that the trend, which has earned the name "boomeranging" (because children return home like a boomerang), has been praised by many. "It was a joy to spend time with our adult children - it was one of the few positives that this difficult time brought," so thought one parent who once again provided facilities for his offspring. The new arrangement was also praised by many children - but in this case as a temporary option.
"I'm grateful for being able to spend more time with my parents. But after a while the cohabitation started to squeak. Not only was it a problem when we all had a work meeting online at the same time, but I think for a little while longer and we would have gone crazy over the very small things - like who left used dishes on the table," is how the young architect, who had only just moved out of her home - after attending college - for good shortly before the pandemic, sums it up. "It was very nice to be home for a while, but I never want to live there again," she sums up with a laugh. Although one could quite well identify with this statement, there is another point of view - and one that perhaps best demonstrates that today's society should, after all, start nurturing the relationship between parents and children more.
Zdroj: Giphy
"I went back to my parents' house for a few months and it was a bit of a shock at first, but we soon got used to the routine of living together. Having dinner together, watching movies together. Eventually we managed to build a very close and more equal relationship than we had before. In fact, I'm quite sorry to lose all this when I move out again," says the thirty-something woman, who was trying to save unnecessary rent costs by returning home. And she is not alone in having this experience. "I lost my job at the beginning of the pandemic and had no choice but to return to my parents. It took a while to settle in, but after a while I started to enjoy helping my mum in the kitchen and my dad in the garden. Even though I moved out again after six months, I cherish all the times we spent together, it was wonderful to be with my family and I'm sorry that it's over," summarised another young woman who also tried returning to her original childhood room.
Relationships in 1st place
According to the experts, it was the new experience of being at home that may have contributed significantly to reassessing the relationship between children and parents - and moving it from that level to that of an adult relationship. Not everyone has the chance to reach this stage in their lifetime. However, as the experience of those who have returned home (albeit temporarily) and spent several months in the company of their parents shows, it is an experience they value highly. And it is valued by children and parents alike. Indeed, family relationships have been strengthened by the whole situation. So while it is not entirely to be expected that young people will suddenly start returning on their own to the homes where they lived with their parents as children, at the very least the experience can serve as an inspiration - an inspiration that sometimes it is worth stopping for a while and going home (for a long weekend, perhaps).
