My son and his family moved in with us. We went from empty nesters to a family of 7.

"My family of origin was not big on multigenerational living . There would be the (very) occasional overnight stay at our grandparents', where we definitely felt like guests. It never would have occurred to us to bring sleeping bags for visiting cousins; that's what hotels were for. My frazzled parents guarded their privacy. It was all they could do to keep track of my two sisters and me, much less entertain company. And so, I spent my childhood in a very small world."

"Things changed after I got married . My husband had grown up in a big, very convivial family; he was one of five siblings, and had 65 first cousins, most of whom lived near him. When we visited, we were expected to stay at his parents' house (and not in a hotel), and spend a lot of time with his siblings and cousins."

"As our five offspring became adults, I just assumed that they'd be flying to their own nests. I thought ahead to retirement , and the joys of not sharing a bathroom, and not cooking for a crowd every night. It did cross my mind that the silence might become a bit deafening, after decades of mostly happy chaos. But it was the natural order of things, and I guessed we'd get used to a bit of loneliness."

I grew up in a family that avoided multigenerational living, with occasional overnight visits to grandparents and parents who guarded their privacy. My husband grew up in a large, convivial family where staying at parents' houses was expected. We raised five children and welcomed friends for meals and sleepovers, but I expected an empty nest once the children became adults. I imagined retirement with quieter routines, fewer chores, and the occasional lonely silence after decades of happy chaos. Most children left for college and work, yet the household later faced adult children returning and seeking to live at home.

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