General Discussion

spinbaby

(15,389 posts)

49. We don't let them become independent

Wed Feb 22, 2012, 04:30 PM

Feb 2012

When my mother moved here from Europe in the mid 50s, the idea that children need supervision was entirely new to her. She says her parents routinely put the children to bed--including babies--and went out for the evening. My father, at the start of the depression, dropped out of school and traveled Europe on a bicycle by himself. He was 13.

But our culture expects children to be watched at all times, which is definitely safer, but also stifling.

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Today, 37 percent of men age thirty have never lived away from home [View all] apples and oranges Feb 2012 OP

Talking about 37% of men in Italy snooper2 Feb 2012 #1

And interesting that someone chose to focus on men. snot Feb 2012 #5

Yes it is. lumberjack_jeff Feb 2012 #9

Cue another round of "useless males" memes. Might as well sell my TV and Zalatix Feb 2012 #17

The Italian figure is significantly higher for men than women - about twice as much muriel_volestrangler Feb 2012 #14

Hi JustAnotherGen Feb 2012 #2

Hi.... I'm actually Italian WilmywoodNCparalegal Feb 2012 #37

Keewl JustAnotherGen Feb 2012 #44

Wow. I didn't realize the percentage was that high. blue neen Feb 2012 #3

This message was self-deleted by its author snot Feb 2012 #4

My Irish cousins never left home before being married in their late 20's, early 30's. Snake Alchemist Feb 2012 #6

Hell, I moved out at 17.... WCGreen Feb 2012 #7

Same here. n/t FSogol Feb 2012 #26

each generation of kids seem to get more spoiled than the last WI_DEM Feb 2012 #8

Thats complete and utter bullshit Drale Feb 2012 #11

Young adults become independent later with each generation. lumberjack_jeff Feb 2012 #12

When my uncles were 12 and 13 XemaSab Feb 2012 #47

Enough to stand your hair on end. lumberjack_jeff Feb 2012 #54

We don't let them become independent spinbaby Feb 2012 #49

Mommy and Daddy usually insist treestar Feb 2012 #16

You can thank the sending of American jobs overseas for all the stay-at-home sons nowadays. Zalatix Feb 2012 #18

Is there a limited number of jobs in the world and a number assigned to each country at all times? treestar Feb 2012 #32

I have your one-issue wonder right here, buddy. My statements are 100% on the mark. Zalatix Feb 2012 #35

There are thousands of factors at work here treestar Feb 2012 #45

No, I did NOT say that. However, it's by far the BIGGEST factor, by the sheer number of jobs lost. Zalatix Feb 2012 #52

Or perhaps you could take off your angry glasses MattBaggins Feb 2012 #19

This ignores the reality that a lot of young people are staying home partially to *help.* antigone382 Feb 2012 #21

There's nothing wrong with intergenerational housing lumberjack_jeff Feb 2012 #31

This message was self-deleted by its author WCIL Feb 2012 #27

Spoiled? College used to be a hell of a lot cheaper. Arugula Latte Feb 2012 #33

And each generation of old people seems more cranky and crotchety than the last, too. Warren DeMontague Feb 2012 #38

If it helps Kellerfeller Feb 2012 #41

it simply cost a lot more money to move out and get a place of your own -and proportionally housing Douglas Carpenter Feb 2012 #10

Here in America we house our surplus males in prisons. hunter Feb 2012 #13

It's really sad that you comment is actually true MattBaggins Feb 2012 #23

IMO Mr Dixon Feb 2012 #29

"Surplus males" - there's the problem right there. Zalatix Feb 2012 #55

Housing availability treestar Feb 2012 #15

While the job market is certainly a factor--I had to move in with my parents for a while Lydia Leftcoast Feb 2012 #20

I don't necessarily see it as a negative that family-members stay in close contact after separating. antigone382 Feb 2012 #24

My wife and I lived in our own apartment and I was working in a factory at 18 NNN0LHI Feb 2012 #22

Well, that was 40 years ago. originalpckelly Feb 2012 #30

And the factory jobs now are where, exactly? Arugula Latte Feb 2012 #34

Yes. And even I worked in a factory for a day back in 1984. and ur bird can sing Feb 2012 #50

The US has been different due to WW II and high internal migration FarCenter Feb 2012 #25

Wages have stagnated since 1980. Mystery solved. Swede Feb 2012 #28

I moved out at 24 and this was pretty average among my friends. Jennicut Feb 2012 #36

After I graduated from college my mother gave me six months to find a job and get out taught_me_patience Feb 2012 #39

Did we have the same mom? Are we siblings? nt Snake Alchemist Feb 2012 #42

Our 36 year old lived away from home for.. Tikki Feb 2012 #40

I've always told my kids that I would be their safety net rainbow4321 Feb 2012 #43

I'm a big "get out on your own" fan Kellerfeller Feb 2012 #56

I'm 31 and never been able to afford an apartment. Initech Feb 2012 #46

The person interviewed in that article treestar Feb 2012 #48

Aside from landing in Rome on my way to Istanbul, MineralMan Feb 2012 #51

It's telling that the author didn't bother to actually say MineralMan Feb 2012 #53

Here down south it is more common for adult children to live with parents. dixiegrrrrl Feb 2012 #57

Something to think about and ur bird can sing Feb 2012 #58