My family of 5 has been living with my parents since the beginning of the year. I'd do it again, despite the challenges.
A personal account of a family of five living with aging parents, highlighting the emotional rewards and logistical challenges of multi-generational housing. The author discusses the difficulties of maintaining privacy and protecting elderly parents from illnesses brought home by children.
Why it matters
Multi-generational living is becoming a common response to rising costs of living, making the social and health dynamics of these arrangements highly relevant.
The author and her family moved in with her parents this year. Courtesy of Melissa Noble My family and I moved into my parents' home earlier this year. As we prepare to move out in August, I've been reflecting on our experience. While there were challenges, I'd do it again in a heartbeat. In January, our family of five moved from Bright, Australia, to the Gold Coast, where I grew up. With the rising cost of living, my parents generously offered us the downstairs of their house. For the first couple of months, they were overseas traveling, then in March, they returned home. After my dad was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in June, my husband and I decided it was time for us to move into our own place.
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