I think this is just a stereotype. Because of the struggling economy many responsible working kids move back home now, but that doesnt mean they are not paying their own way. My two millenials did their laundry from age 12. They both moved out too, with household skills.
I also work at a restaurant with a ton of millenials. Most are out of the house, surviving on a Servers salary, working long hard hours. Some are married. Some are in long term relationships. Some are not always well behaved, but none seem to depend on Mom or even live at home.
The high schoolers live at home. There are a few of them.
The commercials you brought up actually in my opinion are more about the parents than the kids. A kid will do his own laundry and pay his own cell bill (phones are huge with millenials) if we dont. Our own two millenials are still on our cell plan for the discount, but every month Jumper and Sonic pay us their part, $85 and $100.
The adult kids I work with are from 19-36. We talk a lot. Im the Mom there. They confide in me, often more than Id like to know! Again, not all are angels and tere is excess drinking and pot with some, but they seem to pay for their own mistakes and most dont even want their parents to know when they screw up.
Im sure there are plenty of difficult kids who live at home, do nothing, and their parents still wash and fold their laundry at age 25 or 35. But to me that is on the parents. Most people work. Why should they come home and do laundry for grown kids? Or pay expensive cell phone bills for adults that wont work?
The philosophical question is, if this is truly rampant what is the cause? Is it them or us? But is it really as bad as 50s and up think it is? I remember my own mother moaning about the horrors of my generation, the babyboomers. Every older genetation thinks the younger one is somehow flawed.
Didnt Socrates say so lo those many years ago?
Out of maybe 25 servers I work with, one is an honor student already signed up for the Navy and I am sure she will shine and she is also sure. In two weeks a yoing man is joining the Marines.He is awesome. Many are in college, full or part time.
I have much hope for 90% of this generation, even our difficult adult kids who started out slower. I am sure many will find their ways and thrive. Most are very young.
Maybe I just tend to see the good. That may be it too. But most of the hippie babyboomer generation joined society and did well. And we were deemed hopeless, at least in my neck of the woods
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