Family Safety Net Too Tight to Unwind

In Houston, a surprising number of millennials are living in their parents' homes - with their parents.  Greenwood King Properties' Tim Surratt says, "They don't want an affordable Class B apartment when they can have granite countertops and hardwood floors at Mom and Dad's."

Parenting expert Harry Harrison says these young adults love the lack of responsibility.

"When they move back home, rarely do they contribute to the mortgage or electric or grocery bill. They become teenagers again!"

Harrison blames a lot of this on previous poor parenting skills. "The goal of parents should be to prepare your children for a productive adult life. Too many parents just want to make their children happy and ignore the consequences a decade down the line.  When life becomes difficult for their adult children - like a lost job or romantic break-up - they move back home back to the safety of Mom and Dad."  Harrison has advice for parents whose children have moved back and they long to go back to having an empty next.  "Give them a month to find an apartment and then to move out." 


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