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The boomeranger subculture refers to postgraduate adults who return home to their parents due to financial difficulties. More than 18 million young adults aged 18-34 are currently living in childhood homes. Parents should set boundaries and expectations for boomerangers, and they should recognize the need to leave once they can afford independent living.
The proverbial “empty nest” may not stay empty for long if a new subculture called the boomeranger can help it. The term boomeranger refers to postgraduate adults who choose to return home to their parents instead of seeking their fortune elsewhere. According to the most recent census data, more than 18 million young adults between the ages of 18 and 34 are currently living in childhood homes. As that number continues to grow, sociologists and other stakeholders are trying to make sense of it all.
Boomerangs aren’t necessarily unemployed or demotivated, but many of them are simply underfunded. Starting salaries for many basic jobs are often so low that young adults can’t afford to pay off student loans and credit cards while simultaneously running an independent household. The answer for the boomerangs is painfully obvious: go home temporarily until their incoming wages exceed their outgoing expenses. The idea of becoming an independent adult may have to take a back seat to the realities of life.
Some parents embrace the concept of boomerang, even if it means reliving a role they thought they’d abandoned forever. Having an able adult in your home means more security and less dependence on others for routine chores and errands. Some boomerangers find themselves taking on the role of caregiver for aging parents, which can mean significant savings over assisted living facilities. Boomerangs often pay their fair share of rent and utilities, though this practice may not be as universal as some parents might hope.
The controversy surrounding boomerangs is often more social than financial. Society at large favors a traditional progression from dependent child to independent young adult to responsible married couple. Parents who have successfully raised their children should have the right to enjoy their future life without the responsibility of parenthood. The phenomenon of boomerangs definitely puts this traditional machine in difficulty. In a world where basic jobs have been outsourced to other countries, more and more adult children may feel the need to regroup and rethink home.
Experts suggest that parents dealing with boomerangers set definite boundaries and expectations. Rent and other financial responsibilities should be clearly defined and written down. The arrangement should be seen as temporary, in order to avoid a sense of entitlement or laxity on the part of the adult child. Boomerangs shouldn’t necessarily be treated as freeloaders, but neither should they be encouraged to abuse the privilege of free room and board. Once boomerangs have reached a point where their outstanding expenses are manageable and their income is sufficient for independent living, they should recognize the need to leave the nest again.
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