More young adults live at home now than they did five years ago, and this trend has prompted plenty of questions: What's the financial impact on their parents? Why is it happening at all? But a particularly pressing question on our minds, in classic millennial fashion, is how does moving back back in with our parents affect us?
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Let's start with the obvious: Living at home means eating home-cooked meals. Not only does your parents' cooking offer a serious dose of nostalgia, it's also almost definitely a better alternative to the Seamless habit you had when you lived on your own. As long as your parents still uphold the strict vegetables-before-dessert regimen they lorded over you as a kid, you'll be able to eat well and healthily. However, now that you're an adult, it's important to offer to help out, explains Alissa Rumsey, RD, "A big part of healthy eating includes planning ahead for meals and balancing out your overall food for the day," she says. In other words, you'll really reap the benefits of those home-cooked dinners if you help put together the grocery list. (You'll also put yourself in the running for Offspring of The Year.)
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The mental health effects of living at home can vary, too. It all depends on your relationship with your parents and why you chose to move home in the first place. For example, living at home for a few years because you have no other options can feel very different from doing so because you want to save up for school or a big career move. It's important that your parents respect your reasons and offer support — rather than make you feel like a burden or as though they'd be lonely without you. You should feel comfortable to make the most of your time at home without feeling stuck — staying confident and optimistic (and knowing that those around you think similarly) will make a huge difference.
Click through to Shape for more tips on staying healthy, no matter where you live. (Shape)
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