Lori Meo, a 56-year-old mother from Rhode Island, continues to live with her young adult children, opting not to charge them rent. Emphasizing a shared adult dynamic, her family holds regular dinners that double as meetings, fostering open lines of communication. Lori believes in mutual respect rather than authority, allowing her children to make their own decisions. While not charging rent, the family agreed that the children contribute to car insurance and phone bills, supporting their finances without rigid oversight or demands. This arrangement encourages autonomy and long-term life skills in financial responsibility.
We live as a group of adults in the house now. Every night, we have a family dinner together, which also functions as a family meeting where we discuss what is happening in our lives and get feedback on decisions that need to be made.
I don't treat them like children by giving them unsolicited advice. We'll all let each other know if we're going out and when we'll be back, but I don't monitor them.
It would have been a different conversation if we needed the money from rent, but as we could cover everything, my husband and I were happy with the decision not to charge rent.
I don't want to demand anything from them, but they are considerate people and find their own ways to contribute to the household.
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