What is a Multigenerational Household?
What is a multigenerational household? Probably you have ever heard the term multigenerational household or even lived in one without knowing it. This style of living is prominent in the United States and other countries because it is affordable and practical. It also allows individuals to share quality time with family members. Today, 1 in every 5 Americans live in a multigenerational household.
You may ask, what is a multigenerational household? Basically, it means a household where more than two generations reside. That means multiple generations living under one roof. You will possibly find grandparents and grandchildren living together in such a setup. In a multigenerational household, you will come across two adult generations under the same roof.
It could be a household where adult children stay with their parents or grandparents and their children living with their grandchildren. The good thing about these homes is that every generation enjoys their privacy and space. Most of them will have a separate entrance, kitchen, and even living area. Multigenerational households are great for families because they are more connected and intimate.
If you want to live with your parents or retired grandparents, you can consider living in a multigenerational household. In today’s society, where space is becoming scarce, the multigenerational household can be of great use. It is designed to accommodate several generations in an efficient and balanced way. All these factors make it the best option for several families.
In a multigenerational household, you can expect the young generation that is not working to live with their uncles, aunts, parents, or grandparents. The employed generation can stay together with their colleagues, friends, and family members in some setup. It is important to note that most of these homes are run by parents or grandparents, so you need to be mindful of privacy issues.
What is a Multigenerational Household and Its Benefits
What is a multigenerational household? You already know the answer. However, multigenerational living has several benefits to the household occupants.
Saves money – living in a multigenerational household saves money in different ways. That is because the adults at home will cost-share the different expenses and bills to be paid. That means everyone will only contribute less due to the high number of people. It will allow the adults in the home to save excess money to handle other businesses.
Easier home financing – living in a multigenerational house will help you save money and make it easier to get financing. That is because there are fewer people to pay. The expenses will be shared among the adults, making it easier to cover accommodation costs.
Easy upkeep – with multigenerational household setup, there is easy upkeep due to the high number of occupants. The house will require high maintenance costs from only one party. Occupants will cost share and the repair work will be easy.
It helps avoid loneliness – living with a few family members living or relatives every day can make you feel lonely at times. That is true especially if you live with a working class of people who only come home at night. Living as one big family will help kill boredom and loneliness.
Stronger family ties – the object of such an arrangement is for your relatives to be around more often. With the others involved and someone maintaining constant supervision, it would be easier for the children to get closer to their families.
Raises the family’s status – having more adults in the household will help raise the status of your family. They are usually seen as healthier, wealthier people than those who only have one or two family members.
Reduces childcare expenses – in case someone has children that are old enough to look after themselves, a maid-house may not be required. The people at home that do not go to work can look after the small kids thereby reducing childcare expenses.
Cons of multigenerational household
Less privacy – since the people living in the household have grown up together, you may find them too close. That is true especially if there are many members in one household. Living with grandparents could be stressful, especially for the young generation that loves to live alone.
More housework – since there are more household members, more housework needs to be done. There will be more dishes to wash and even rooms to clean.
Higher cost – since there are going to be more members living in one household, they will contribute when it comes to utilities as well as food. However, you will have to purchase more groceries and pay more on electricity and water bills.
Less supervision – due to having a larger number of people, there may not be enough room for everyone to have adequate privacy. The lack of supervision may result to irresponsible behavior, especially if members are not accustomed to getting along.
Family tensions – because of the differences between families, there could be problems in their relationship. That is especially true when one family opposes the other. The siblings and cousins could be fighting among themselves, and even parents could have to deal with their children’s behavior. That could lead to disputes between siblings and families and disagreements when the parents are in charge of discipline.
How many multigenerational households are in the United States?
A study by Generations United shows that multigenerational household is rising and could be a long-term setup. The study found that different generations living under the same roof have quadrupled in the last ten years. There has been a surge of about 271 percent from 2011 to last year (2021).
The firm estimates there are around 66.7 million adults living in a multigenerational household setup. Among all these households, 6 out of every 10 started living together during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some have stuck together more because of the pandemic.
This study also found that about 66 percent claim that the economic climate led them to this living arrangement. Some of the top causes for this setup were the need for eldercare, job loss, healthcare costs, education expenses, and child education.
Most of the people living in these multigenerational households say living together is successful for them. They attribute their successful living to home design, family interactions and relationships, and services. Improved finances for given family members also led to peaceful coexistence.
5 Tips for Multigenerational Households
Define responsibilities and roles – Make a list of responsibilities and place it at a strategic place for everyone to see. Each person’s role will be different, but everyone must have one. This will reduce tensions and disagreements among the members of a multigenerational household.
Surveys conducted in previous years show that many people do not understand their roles or responsibilities. That results to fights over who should do which tasks. Families with good communication on who does what are more likely to stay together because they know what to expect from each other.
Open discussion – Allow open discussion with your family members on how to sustain your family as more generations join. It is important that you sit down and discuss how you can make the transition without any negative consequences to child care, education, housing, employment, etc.
Manage conflict – Try not to ignore any conflicts if they occur. Work through them within the family rather than outside in public forums. Many multigenerational households find out there are issues after they leave their household home which is wrong. By managing these conflicts internally within your household, you will create a stronger bond between your household members. It will make your transition into adulthood even easier for everyone involved.
Respect privacy – It is important that you respect each family member’s privacy. It is vital to respect the private lives of the people living in the household.
Communicate – Communicate with family members about what they need during their transition into adulthood and beyond. Be open with your family regarding your children’s needs. Discuss even other issues you may have while the kids transition from one generation to another. You can also use communication as a way for your digital detox.
Acknowledge not all families are the same – There are no hard and fast rules about how families work. Some multigenerational households have 3 generations living together with shared kitchen, yard, and social media. Other multigenerational households have 3 generations separate from one another in their own homes or in different neighborhoods. They do not interact much more than occasionally exchanging a Hello. Acknowledge that families and values are different. If a given family has different laws from what you have, respect that. Avoid quarrels over petty issues just because of the simple differences.
Bottom Line: What is a Multigenerational Household then?
What is a Multigenerational household? The answer may vary from person to person, but the most commonly noted clusters are those of a parent, their biological children, and then their grandchildren. There are many reasons multigenerational households exist. That could include extended families living close by and wanting to have a part in the lives of their grandchildren. It is important when transitioning into adulthood that you know your household type. If you do not know your household type, seek advice from those who live in multigenerational households to understand better what it means for you to transition into adulthood.
Hope this answers your query about “what is a multigenerational household” and its benefits.
