By: Jerrica Zabala, Peak Associate
There’s this assumption, especially among older generations, that living with your parents means you haven’t matured yet or you’re behind on the milestones you “need” to be an adult. Living with your parents or guardians should be more normalized because the cost of living is beyond unmanageable in the Lower Mainland.
Boomers and Gen X can talk shit all they want, but I’m staying with my parents until I can save up for a down payment on a house. Even my parents understand this absurd housing market, and give me the privilege of living under their care until I have financial stability. For many of us, our parents have been our financial, emotional, and social safety nets since we were young, so there’s nothing wrong with extending your stay to get ahead.
In reality, if you’re completing any type of higher education, you’re going to take at least 2–6 years depending on if you’re studying full-time or part-time. If you’re paying for your education, it helps to have a roof over your head, not worry about rent, or tip-toe around roommates. Even if you have to take out student loans, living with your parents gives you the ability to save more money than you would living alone. This is a huge advantage that can set you up for long-term financial security.
That’s not to say that there aren’t any disadvantages to living with your parents. For me and most likely other students, we pay with our mental health regardless. You run the risk of still being viewed as a child, having to personally communicate about physical and emotional boundaries, or enduring the invisible contract of being a “fake” renter. However, no amount of societal pressure, unsolicited life advice, or invasion of privacy will ever amount to how much I get to save so I don’t enter the “real world” in debt.
It’s time to let go of the belief that young adults need to move out as quickly as physically possible. With that being said, if you’re lucky enough to live in comfort with parents who are letting you stay just a tad bit longer, don’t be ashamed.
