Canadians taking longer to "grow up"

[I-Hate-Hulse]

Originally Posted by Poison

Im not sure i agree with the above statement, there are many blue collar buddies of mine that make equal to if not more than someone with a university degree, especially now with everyone looking for competent trades and willing to pay for it.

I'm a big believe that the trades aren't pushed enough as a great career in high schools. The "University is Where It's At!" just doesn't apply to everyone, and know a few people who could probably be doing better in life if they had gone into the trades than toil at some low level clerical job. Doesn't Europe stream people into the trades via standardized testing?

Mike Holmes had a great column on this issue:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servl...ory/RealEstate

[Sylvanfan]

Originally Posted by RougeUnderoos

That being said, it is true now and was true then. Life was a hell of a lot easier for me than it was for my old man, and his grandkids will have it even better.

Thats pretty much about it. Part of wealth building is making things progressively better for the generation in front of you. Because if you don't....are you really self improving, or making progress? If your goal in life is to have it so that your kids are worse off than you are...should you really be breeding?

[CaramonLS]

Yeah, well, with the severely high buy-in to things such as the housing market, you pretty much need to get an education in order to compete. As such, your parents are gonna probably help you out and pay for it.

I've also found that my parents at least (and I know a lot of my friends parents as well), don't want to cut the ties either. They have their own semi-cordial relationship with their parents, which consists of seeing them on a pretty infrequent basis with a minimal relationship. Some parents want more than that with their own kids, so they don't want to cut the 'cord' either, so they supply their kids with the financial means necessary to keep them close. My 22 year old sister told my dad about a month and a half ago that she was finally moving out of the house, and my dad broke down in tears. This guy is one of the toughest businessmen I know, and he was in tears over my sister moving out.

[FireFly]

I only wish my parents lived in an area that it would've been feasible for me to live at home while I went to school. I can understand people living at home until they're done school, but I cannot imagine living at home after you're done. That's a personal thing though. Might be different for me since I'm a girl, but I couldn't imagine bringing a guy home to do the nasty in my parent's house.

[The Yen Man]

Well, I'm in my twenties, and I'm not ashamed to admit I still live at home. With today's housing market, I pretty much have to until I can save enough for a place of my own (or whenever that stupid Gateway Midtown project is done so I can move into my condo, but that's another story). Anyways, I've never thought of moving out and renting. I mean, if I were to do that, I might as well live at home and give my parents the money instead, which I'm actually doing right now.

Besides, like I care how other people view me. I mean, why do I need to impress other people if I'm comfortable with my lifestyle? I tell people at work all the time I still live at home. Heck, my mom still packs me my lunch, and I love it. And all the while, I'm still able to save a decent amount for when I eventually do move out, which will probably be when I get married.

And I can honestly tell you my parents would rather I live with them than me moving out.

[Dion]

The numbers of young adults who are members of what has been dubbed the "boomerang generation" are staggering. In 2006, 43.5 per cent of adults aged 20 to 29 either stayed in the parental home or moved back into it after a period away.

"Young adults could remain or return home for reasons such as school attendance, financial difficulties, lack of job opportunities or the cost of living in a particular area," StatsCan said. "It could also be a response to a failed relationship, hardship in establishing an independent household, or a perceived benefits."

http://www.canada.com/theprovince/ne...0-89f660681ada

[corporatejay]

I know my parents drilled into my head that i should always buy a place, and this seems to be the general consensus amongst my friends. It's smarter to save up for a downpayment and buy an asset then piss it away on rent.

[Flames09]

I'm one of those people that live with my parents, and there is nothing wrong with that. I dont plan on paying for school and rent, infact I have been raised to believe that paying rent is a joke and that you're better off putting your money towards a mortgage. What's my plan live in my parents home until I graduate then with a little help from then put down a downpayment and purchase a home (of course once I'm employed).

[I-Hate-Hulse]

Originally Posted by The Yen Man

Besides, like I care how other people view me. I mean, why do I need to impress other people if I'm comfortable with my lifestyle? I tell people at work all the time I still live at home. Heck, my mom still packs me my lunch, and I love it. And all the while, I'm still able to save a decent amount for when I eventually do move out, which will probably be when I get married.

And I can honestly tell you my parents would rather I live with them than me moving out.

I wouldn't use this as your pickup line at a bar - otherwise you might never get married....

Seriously, 20+ and your mom packs you lunch still? Let me guess, she does your laundry too.

Putting this all together... you've got to be Asian?

[wpgflamesfan]

I think it's alright to live with your parents if you actually saving up money to do something smart like make a downpayment on a house or something like that. Its these people who live with there parents to simply save money so they can blow it on stuff like nice clothes, nice cars, travel, etc that need to give there head a shake.

[The Yen Man]

Originally Posted by I-Hate-Hulse

I wouldn't use this as your pickup line at a bar - otherwise you might never get married....

Seriously, 20+ and your mom packs you lunch still? Let me guess, she does your laundry too.

Putting this all together... you've got to be Asian?

Lucky for me I already have a gf, but yeah I guess I wouldn't recommend divulging that info to the ladies if you're single.

And yes, I am Asian. Maybe its a culture thing, but my parents, my mom especially, dread the day when both me and my brother move out. Considering they don't speak much English, they depend on us for certain stuff too. Even after I move out, I still plan on keeping a very close relationship with my parents.

Oh and no, I actually do my own laundry, as my mom actually ruins the clothes if she does it. Just as I mow the lawn, shovel the snow, vacuum the house, etc.

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by Flames09

I'm one of those people that live with my parents, and there is nothing wrong with that. I dont plan on paying for school and rent, infact I have been raised to believe that paying rent is a joke and that you're better off putting your money towards a mortgage. What's my plan live in my parents home until I graduate then with a little help from then put down a downpayment and purchase a home (of course once I'm employed).

Laugh. You are sounding kind of defensive there. You might want to hold off on using the word "joke" when describing how people who have different priorities might be living.

[FireFly]

Originally Posted by RougeUnderoos

Laugh. You are sounding kind of defensive there. You might want to hold off on using the word "joke" when describing how people who have different priorities might be living.

Thank you. I may choose not to live in the middle of nowhere with my parents and enjoy civilization, but part of that choice is paying rent. Is it a joke? Or would the joke be me living 20 minutes away from a town of 500? Not everyone has the luxury of living at home. That's not a joke.

[Dan02]

Originally Posted by I-Hate-Hulse

Seriously, 20+ and your mom packs you lunch still? Let me guess, she does your laundry too.

i wish my mom still did my laundry

[Dion]

Originally Posted by RougeUnderoos

Laugh. You are sounding kind of defensive there. You might want to hold off on using the word "joke" when describing how people who have different priorities might be living.

Agreed. Not all of us has rich parents who could pay for their education OR help with a downpayment for a mortgage

[REDVAN]

I am 22 years old so this is perfect to compare myself to.

I live with my parents, am NOT financially independant (they pay for room, board, university expenses). I have a long term girlfriend, and we have no plans to move out in the next year or so. Nor kids. So it's true. That being said, it seems like the freshmen students at the university are very very young. Some of them aren't even legal.

[corporatejay]

Agreed. Not all of us has rich parents who could pay for their education OR help with a downpayment for a mortgage

not everyone who has a downpayment for a home had their education paid for. prior to the boom, saving up 5% of 150k for a reasonable condo/townhome wasn't a crazy idea...now it's extremely difficult.

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by Sparks

OK, that definitely made me laugh.

Seriously, though, I don't think it's "grumpy old man" to suggest that it might be a bit immature to want to live with your parents into your twenties

Really? Try telling that to a family of Indian or Middle Eastern descent. I basically had a cabbie lambast me one night because he thought I was dishonoring my parents by moving away from home.

[Sparks]

Posted by Rubecube:
Really? Try telling that to a family of Indian or Middle Eastern descent. I basically had a cabbie lambast me one night because he thought I was dishonoring my parents by moving away from home.

That's an interesting angle to look at it from. I hadn't even thought about that. I know that it's pretty normal in a lot of cultures to live in multi-generational (3 or 4!) homes.

So, I'm being ethnocentric, but I suspect the majority of people in Canada, people with whom I share similar culture and cultural roots, believe (or believed) that people should move out of their parents' house as soon as they're capable. I'm speaking from that perspective. I mean, the article we're talking about was news presumably because it would strike most people as unusual.

I'm really glad that someone started this thread, because I had no idea how many people hold a different view than I do.

[Option84]

Wow, story of my life. I graduated back in may from the University of Waterloo with a BSc degree that is pretty much worthless (Honours Science and Business) and I'm still at home because I can't find an affordable place to live or decent job. And I live in Canmore so I can't really have the luxury of living at home and commuting to work way out in Calgary (no jobs here). I think I'll have to bite the bullet and basically slum for a while and work a crap job since my parents want me out to start living my own life. I know it's just TV and advertising, but when you are bombarded with images of people my age living the high life in luxury condos and such, you can't help but feel a little anxious in the pit of your stomach. Anyways, reading this article and comments made me pretty depressed. ;_;