With how shit the economy is, how expensive the cost of living is, and how expensive child care is, most people are waiting until later and later in life to have kids. For many, it becomes too late. A lot of this is exacerbated by our culture that says once you're 18 you should get out of the house and on your own.
Now I'm not advocating being a slouch mooching off your parents, but we must learn from our past. In times past, it was normal for people to have several generations living under the same roof. And not just for medical reasons like you see today. This is still common in other countries. It's is a far more economical way for people with limited resources to still have and raise children, and you get the added benefit of grandparents being present and contributing more to the child's upbringing. But we in the West like to be completely independent and have our own space. While nice, that makes the burden of having kids MUCH larger.
I think a return to multigenerational housing may be necessary for us to return to prior levels of productivity, fertility rates, and overall culture. Discuss.
The_Oogie ago
That's why my husband and I bought 40 acres. We haven't built on it yet, but the plan is to build a house, then use it for farming and when the kids grow up, they can build a house on it as well.
40 acres is a lot of space.
madscientist3469 ago
I think that's a great idea. I have friends whose families do something similar. Some have multiple houses on the same plot, some have nearly the whole family living in the same neighborhood. Good way to keep family close but still retain privacy.
I'd like to do the same someday.
DontBeRacist ago
This makes me think of the nigger problem causing white flight. If it's not in the country, a lot of times a neighborhood gets old and niggers can then afford to move in. Then the value gets lowered by those niggers and more niggers can afford to come in. What would've happened if my neighborhood I grew up in could've stayed white. I'm pretty sure almost all the original inhabitants there are gone now. Even the blacks probably wanted to get away from the niggers.
I know this isn't exactly on topic, but I think if that old neighborhood of mine could have legally been all white, it'd be a place where young white people could find an old, cheap house. It would also be a possibility to live in the same neighborhood as your parents.
Don-Keyhote ago
Moving away from your village, marrying a non-cousin and relatively late in life, etc are purely Western European phenomena and explain the indivuality as opposed to the clannishness of say the Slavs. Another shitty consequence of Catholicism basically
madscientist3469 ago
Nobody's telling you to marry your cousin. But what advantage do we have expecting people to go out on their own at 18 and be fully self supporting before they start a family? In times like this when the cost of living is so high, it just makes people put off having kids, if at all.
As a matter of fact, multigenerational homes were pretty popular in the US prior to WWII, something like 25% of households.
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GOATMAN ago
All for it. If not the same house then the same piece of land or same town. Keep your people close. Strong familes and tight knit communities.
derraboof ago
I'm with you, I visited IQT in Peru a few times (amazon basin) and saw other cultures that were poor AF but had such strong communities and families, connections with God and nature and seemed to be way happier than your average westerner, I realized we had been sold a bill of goods here in the west that career success and attainment of more material shit we don't need is where happiness is, when it's so much simpler. Just out of curiosity i googled suicide rates there and they're 12X lower per capita than here(US), but we're told that we have it so good - loot at all the gadgets we have! Family, friends, community, faith, connection with nature - those are where it's at.
GOATMAN ago
Yeah, the west has been duped. I fell for it as a younger man. I hope I can help my kids see through the pop culture bs and build something of real value.
modsrcuntz ago
I don't like the idea of my parents being old living on there own. Our house a downstairs bedroom and bathroom for them. These days, you can buy homes that have an attached full apartment for parents as well.
madscientist3469 ago
I didn't know that, but it makes perfect sense.
Not sure if I'd want my parents in my house, but have seen houses with smaller "in-law suites" above the garage or detached in the back. Something like that would be great.
knightwarrior41 ago
nothing agaisnt it,do whats best for you