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A Parent's Guide to Living with Adult Children: Practical Strategies to Master Boundaries and Communication to Avoid Conflict and Build Connection

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đź’« Welcome to the Boomerang Generation! đź’«

After a lifetime of raising your kid to be independent, they're back under your roof. Now what? Get all the answers in A Parent's Guide to Living with Adult Children, an insightful book that offers expert guidance and time-tested parenting tips!


Walking through life while sharing a home with your adult kids can feel like treading a tightrope on a windy day—tricky, emotional, and honestly a little nerve-wracking. It may even leave you feeling a little hard done by.

But hold those thoughts, because having your child back in your home can actually be a wonderful thing, as it presents opportunities for growth and connection!

With practical strategies, this book will help you find balance, set new rules and boundaries, and find enjoyment in this new phase of family life!

What's Building Set clear, fair limits to minimize conflicts and create harmony, and ensure everyone’s needs are respected, without the guilt trips and drama.Redefining Shift from parent-child dynamics to a grown child -adult relationship that fosters mutual respect, open communication, and a deeper connection.Embracing your shared Sharing a home doesn’t have to be chaotic! We’ve got tips to keep things chill and everyone happy.Money Tackle tricky money topics like collecting rent and sharing household expenses thoughtfully without it turning into awkward staredowns.An adult child's intimate Balance respect for your child’s intimate relationships with household comfort using our tips on addressing dating, safety, and breakups through open and mature communication.Mental wellness High, misplaced emotions can strain any household, especially when dealing with anxiety, burnout, and depression. Learn the ropes of fostering a positive environment and providing support for neurodivergent family members.Don't forget Fitting your adult child's needs into your schedule is just as important as taking care of yourself! Know how to manage emotional challenges and establish healthy self-care habits so you keep your own life goals on track!
A Parent's Guide to Living with Adult Children isn't about absurd rules and hour-long lectures but finding a groove that works for everyone.

Uncover the parenting secrets that will guide you through ticklish situations with your child and deepen your bond with them. Let’s face it—parenting never really stops, but it can get a whole lot easier!

Flip to page one and let’s get started!

188 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 7, 2025

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About the author

Catherine Jennings

4 books1 follower

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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
Profile Image for Nicole Normand.
1,978 reviews31 followers
September 30, 2025
I borrowed this book from Kindle Unlimited
I think this book would also be a good guide for the reverse - a parent, or parents, living with their adult children. First things first "It's about sitting down together, hashing out expectations, and crafting an understanding that feels respectful and balanced". My case wasn't in the book (oldest son coming back for 2 months to take a course that his boss is paying half of the cost, but still has to pay his rent where he lives so he doesn't lose his room) but I found a few lists that were helpful, such as boundaries, non-negotiables, overnight visitors, etc. I had to laugh at privacy, because all our children were taught privacy (knocking, waiting for permission, before entering, etc.) at 2 y.o. and we did the same with them. The author also talks about how, for neurodiversity, "tasks must be deconstructed into microscopic, achievable milestones". These are your kids, there is no need for a reminder since you do that already, even if they don't live with you, and you've been doing that forever. In many places, and this is where my rating went down, we are encouraged to treat our adult children like kids again (being the nurse, the therapist, the protector, encouraging them to get a job - make a phone call (instead of 4) and we'll get ice cream-, pushing the chores, etc.). Sure, she said it's no longer "this is my house" or "because I said so" but you're still managing them as if they were kids even when you word things differently ("and be sure to limit screen time" What???). One example I found is the neurodivergent's scratchy sweater. Why is it your responsibility that your child has no scratchy sweater? Because, if that child is an adult, they either don't own ANY scratchy sweater or they will wear it in certain circumstances but bring a switch for later. Not your job.
Profile Image for Charlotte.
566 reviews21 followers
May 15, 2025
When I saw the title of this book, I immediately knew that I needed to read it as the parent of adult children. It seemed to be mainly aimed at the parents of millennials who have returned to the family home, whereas I'm a millennial parent of young adults who haven't yet left home. However,that doesn't mean I didn't find the book to be interesting, informative, and useful. Because it was. Of course, some sections weren't relevant right now, but they were still interesting to read as they might become relevant in the future. And some of the advice matches my parenting style anyway, so it's things I've been doing for years. But it's nice to know that I'm doing some things 'right'. I struggle a lot with feeling that I'm not enough, so the last chapter which talked about how children don't need a perfect parent, but rather one who shows up, really resonated with me, and reassured me that I'm doing the best I can. And that's enough.

I thought this book was broken down into useful chapters and sub chapters, which meant it was easy to skip over the parts that aren't relevant to my family, for example I'm 25+ years from retirement, so only skimmed those sections.

Overall, this was an interesting read that I will be recommending to my friends of adult children.
Profile Image for Book Addict.
777 reviews6 followers
February 24, 2025
As someone just setting out independently with their adult children and trying to navigate the precarious balancing act of giving them freedom and setting boundaries. The author provides some guidance on facilitating house rules, contributions, and responsibilities.
She tries to help manage the transition from parenting a teen to maintaining a supportive bond.
The areas covered include navigating how to address and manage disagreements, and managing shared expenses, including rent and utilities, helps promote financial responsibility and prevent resentment.
At the same time she addresses the mental wellbeing. Highlighting how to recognise distress and encouraging open communication about mental health. I found it provided a practical approach to build a positive and mutually respectful living environment with my tecnically adult children. As I am at the reading and considering stage I don't know yet how it will translate but I'm willing to try things to manage the transition from controlling movements to prevent resentment on both parts.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Kristi Richardson.
733 reviews34 followers
May 12, 2025
Excellent book to negotiate how to live with your adult children. It is mostly told as the parent bringing an adult child into their home. I would like to see another book about the parent moving in with their adult children as they age.
There are plenty of ideas and ways to set boundaries that you can use to keep the household on an even keel and actually build a stronger relationship with your adult child.
I have had my adult children live with me during stressful times so I understand how this book could have been useful to me personally.
My advice to parents? Your kids don't want to live the rest of their lives with mommy and daddy, so let them decide to grow up without you bailing them out every time. It's only a temporary time, enjoy it while you can.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews

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