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“It’s Give and Take”: Australian Families’ Experiences of Negotiating Financial and Domestic Contributions When Young Adults Return Home

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Abstract

Young adults are increasingly reliant on parental support, with co-residence as a result of a return home increasingly common. Despite this, little is known about how family members negotiate financial and domestic contributions post-return. This qualitative study used a phenomenological methodology to explore the experiences of Australian parents and young adults who returned to co-residence in terms of the younger family members’ contributions to their household. Findings revealed that the young adults acknowledged the need to contribute but often varied in how much assistance they offered. For the most part, the extent of this contribution reflected their parents’ actions; the tendency not to ask for assistance and undertake tasks themselves meant offspring were not given incentives to contribute. While this at times resulted in unmet expectations and frustration among parents, they continued to act in ways that favourably accommodated their offspring. These findings highlight the importance of understanding the negotiation between parents and young adults in regards to household contributions, and the need for further qualitative investigation in this area.

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  1. School of Health and Social Development, Faculty of Health, Deakin University, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood, VIC, 3125, Australia

    Elyse Warner, Claire Henderson-Wilson & Fiona Andrews

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  1. Elyse Warner
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  2. Claire Henderson-Wilson
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Correspondence to Elyse Warner.

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Warner, E., Henderson-Wilson, C. & Andrews, F. “It’s Give and Take”: Australian Families’ Experiences of Negotiating Financial and Domestic Contributions When Young Adults Return Home. J Fam Econ Iss 38, 541–555 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10834-017-9520-0

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