Marie and her husband Fabrice welcomed their son and his little tribe into their home. In financial difficulty, the couple and their five children lived together for almost a year. Testimony.
We call these young people “boomerang” children, those who leave home to strike out on their own, but end up coming back to live with their parents. Often, their return home occurs after a romantic breakup, or following a professional failure abroad, leaving them without employment or housing. Coming home is then a temporary refuge, while waiting to bounce back in life. It’s a second chance for many young people.
Florient, for example, tried his luck in London with his wife for professional reasons. They had five children together, but eventually struggled to make ends meet. So they had to call on their parents for help. Marie and her husband did everything to support them financially, but ultimately, the only solution was to welcome them into their home until Florient and his wife got back on their feet. “I could no longer send them money, and as a mother, it was impossible for me to see him struggling like this. We offered him to come and live at home and that lasted for a year“, tells us Marie, aged 60.
The grandparents were fortunate to have a house large enough to accommodate the whole family, but they had to adapt to this new dynamic. “My daughter-in-law was very grateful and very involved in daily tasks: she cooked for the children, did the laundry, and everyone, including our grandchildren, participated. My son managed the food shopping, and we helped them by driving them to school, which made Florient’s job search easier. He eventually found a job in security and, after a few months, was able to find housing for his family. Living with us rent-free for almost a year allowed him to save money while paying off his debts.”
Marie, delighted to have been able to help her family, admits however that she needed to get away certain weekends with her husband, just to recharge her batteries, in peace. Their departure was a relief: knowing that their son was out of trouble, but also finding peace of mind. “Living together for a year was daily happiness, but at our age it was also very tiring.” The children, for their part, spent unforgettable moments with their grandparents: an experience which has the advantage of strengthening bonds.