As a 22-year-old manchild who has spent his entire summer living at home with his parents, I can confidently say this arrangement has its ups and downs. While living in a full-size house does have its advantages over cramming into a two bedroom apartment with three other roommates, living with your parents can make for an uncomfortable situation. Don’t get me wrong, I love my parents (most days), but at the ripe age of 22 it’s a little annoying having to tell someone your whereabouts at all times. That said, rent is free and the pantry is stocked, so there definitely are some benefits. Here is a full list of pros and cons of living at home with your parents.
Pro
You don’t need to pay rent and still somehow get your own bedroom and bathroom.
Con
Rather than setting the air conditioner to a comfortable temperature, it will instead be set to a price-efficient temperature.
Pro
Groceries somehow seem to just replenish themselves miraculously.
Con
Meatloaf is a staple dinner around here.
Pro
When going out to dinner, you will never need to do the infamous check dance. In fact, just leave that wallet at home entirely. Not like you’re driving home either.
Con
You can’t order more than one drink at dinner without getting a side-eye from your mother. If you push it to 2 drinks, expect to be told you have a problem. Although that’s true, two drinks should not be what she is concerned about.
Pro
Dad is now your own personal bug killer. I hate bugs. Good thing Dad likes to get his anger out by squashing things with shoes!
Con
If you cheer while watching any sort of sports, you will immediately be hit with a “are you wasting your money betting again?” It’s NFL preseason, what else am I supposed to do?
Pro
Oftentimes, you will feel like the smartest person in the room.
Con
You will need to ask “did you try turning it on and off?” about 12 times a day.
Pro
If you’re bored, you always have someone that will watch a movie with you.
Con
You will need to pause the movie multiple times throughout and then need to explain everything that happened at the end.
Pro
You get to play with a cute dog without the responsibility of actually taking care of it.
Con
If you ever spend a night in, your dad will almost certainly ask why you haven’t called that friend from 2nd grade. You two used to be best friends, remember?
Pro
You will get the real inside scoop of what your parents actually think about your siblings and extended family members. Spoiler: it’s all negative.
Con
You never call your grandparents. They are old and lonely. You must call them daily.
