Table of Contents
Author's Note xiii
Introduction xv
Live Together? "Unthinkable!"
"Boomerang" Gets a New Definition
Multigenerational Families Make a Comeback
Mutual Admiration Society
All Together Now
Chapter 1 The Art of Living Together 1
Moving In or Just Visiting?
Reluctant Residents
The Family System
Siblings With and Without Attitude
Together Again-The Challenge
Chapter 2 Establishing Boundaries 17
Whole Lot of Changing Going On
Putting Ground Rules in Place
Ground Rule #1: Being Considerate
Ground Rule #2: Protecting Your Privacy
Ground Rule #3: Sticking to Food Preferences
Ground Rule #4: Respecting Others' Time
Ground Rule #5: Protecting Your Time
Solving Time-Eating Dilemmas
Chapter 3 Great (and Not so Great) Expectations 32
Remembrance of Things Past
Knowing the Players
Great Expectations
No One Is a Mind Reader
Family Meetings Resolve Issues Quickly
Lowering Expectations
Chapter 4 Money Matters 50
In These Changing Times
The Generational Divide
Your Fair Share
Pooling Resources
Stuck on the Giving or Receiving End
It's Not Always about Money
Chapter 5 Pushing Your Buttons 68
The Parent-Child Trap
Coping with Control and Manipulation
Short-Circuiting Criticism
Moving Beyond Hot-Button Issues
Chapter 6 From Bedroom to Den and Back Again 92
Finding Space
Welcome Home
Combining Two Households
Sharing Space
What's Mine Is Mine...and Yours
Some Privacy, Please
There's No Place Like Home
Chapter 7 Together and Apart 109
Separate Lives
Carving Out Time
Give Yourself a Break
Building Social Networks
Chapter 8 The Dating Life 122
Friends and Lovers
Adult Children, Single and Dating
Sleepovers-Possible or Not?
Parents Dating
Answering to Your Adult Child
Emotions Run Deep on Both Sides
The New Dynamics
Chapter 9 Homeward Bound at Twenty-Something 137
Twenty-Somethings Return to the Nest
You Were Commander in Chief
Older, But Not Totally Wise
The Job Hunt
The Care and Feeding of Parents
The Ultimate Plus for Everyone
Chapter 10 Older and Headed Home 158
Ready or Not, Here I Come
Beyond the Blame Game
When Parents Disagree
Choosing to Live with Parents
My Parent/My Friend
Chapter 11 Parents and In-Laws Moving In 171
We All Agree
Understanding Parents and In-Laws
Don't Underestimate What a Parent Can Do
Dealing with Quirks and Difficulties
Smart Decisions for the Entire Family
Modeling for the Next Generation
Chapter 12 "Grandma Said I Could" 186
The "First Grandma" Sets the Stage
Generating Trust
Grandparent Trap #1: Safety Concerns
Grandparent Trap #2: Too Much Interference
Grandparent Trap #3: Overindulging Grandchildren
Grandparent Trap #4: At Your Beck and Call
Grandparents Fill Essential Developmental Roles
Working Together
Building Bonds
Pure Love
Chapter 13 You Can Go Home Again 205
The New Normal
All Grown Up and a Place to Go
Expect Less, Get More
For the Long or Short Haul
Surprising Outcomes: I'm Still Here
Resources and Related Reading 217
Acknowledgments 225
Index 226
About the Author 231
