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I lived with my mother in her house until she died last year when I was 38, for several reasons. In the beginning she was somewhat disabled, a condition that later turned into debilitating congestive heart failure. She could not support herself financially, and in later years couldn't care for herself much at all. During that time I was always employed full time, and in later years became VP of Software Development for a leading investment management firm, a position I still hold today. I spent zero time partying with friends, dating (I'm still not married), traveling or living a self-indulgent lifestyle - between working long hours and taking care of my mother, there wasn't much time to be a loser.

But hey, don't let my story interrupt all the sweeping generalizations. I know they are a lot of fun.

Completely different scenario.

I lived with my mother in her house until she died last year when I was 38, for several reasons. In the beginning she was somewhat disabled, a condition that later turned into debilitating congestive heart failure. She could not support herself financially, and in later years couldn't care for herself much at all. During that time I was always employed full time, and in later years became VP of Software Development for a leading investment management firm, a position I still hold today. I spent zero time partying with friends, dating (I'm still not married), traveling or living a self-indulgent lifestyle - between working long hours and taking care of my mother, there wasn't much time to be a loser.

But hey, don't let my story interrupt all the sweeping generalizations. I know they are a lot of fun.

I did that for both of my parents, they were divorced and each had poor health. Since I was the only single daughter the rest of the family more or less put the responsibility on my shoulders. With my mother, for a year she had to travel 400 miles three times a week for physical therapy and I did it. I was 24 at the time. I willingly moved back home and cared for her because it was the right thing for me to do. After she died I moved to Hawaii for a few years to work and had the time of my life then.

I then wanted to finish college and I did move in with my grandmother because she lived one mile from school and did not want to move into a nursing home. I worked while in school, I was there to make sure she turned off the gas and did her errands for her and gave her that one wish to stay in her home until she died.

Then my father became disabled after being hit by a drunk driver and there weren't enough nursing home facilities willing to put up with his behaviors in the state ;) I eventually had to move in with him because of several choking events and his mental state. I will tell you right now that was the most difficult job I could have ever worked. Yes I could have put him in a nursing home, but as a christian and a conservative I believe that families should take care of their own. I had been estranged from my father for years but there was a bible verse that kept coming back to me and that was "Children honor your parents." He was able to make peace with all of his children before he died in April of this year.

For me it was the right thing to do and it did pay off in a way because my siblings gave me my father's house and I started up my own business providing non medical home care for the elderly and am doing quite well.

But hey, don't let my story interrupt all the sweeping generalizations. I know they are a lot of fun.

If the article was filled with stories from the posters on this thread, I don't think anyone would have problem with adult children moving back in with their parents to take care of them or even on a temporary basis after divorce or prolonged unemployment.

However, in this article, Mrs. Navarro is essentially providing maid services to her adult son. She is probably approaching 60 and is simply being taken advantage of. As pointed out before, there's no mention of rent being paid and these people seem to have a real lack of overall life plan both short term and long term.

Further, the article views living with your parents into your thirties (and having your Mom as a maid) as an acceptable lifestyle choice. It is for people who need to care for a relative or are found jobless. But the converse is the people profiled in the article who have their parents taking care of them. When are these people going to take some responsibility?

I am friends with some folks like those profiled in the article. As I progress through my life, getting a grad degree, starting a business, getting married, buying house I am finding I have less and less to discuss with them.