Work can drain more than just your paycheck—it can drain the joy out of living. That's the story one father shared in a post on the Antiwork subreddit after his son quit a $45,000-a-year job with no backup plan and asked to move back home with his wife and two-year-old daughter.
The father recalled how excited his son was to land the job right out of college, but that excitement didn't last. Over time, he watched the happiness fade. By Thanksgiving, his son was openly describing "insane deadlines, a boss who micromanaged, and a business owner who ruled with an iron fist."
It finally boiled over during a heated argument at work. His son walked off the job, then called home sobbing and apologizing. Instead of anger, he got compassion. "Son, you have nothing to apologize for. No job is worth what I see this job doing to you," the father said.
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The younger man worried about the burden—being married with a toddler made the stakes feel heavier. But his parents had already decided. "We've got a big house and everyone is welcome," the dad wrote. And they set just one condition: he shouldn't rush into another job. "He struggles with depression anyway, so I said he should see a psych/therapist, get the help he needs to recover his mental wellness, and go from there. No timelines. No promises needed."
Of course, the son promised he'd start looking for work soon. His parents told him not to worry. For them, the priority was health, not productivity. "No parent wants to see their child struggle because of their job," the father added.
He ended with a broader call to action for other families: "We can be a part of the antiwork/labor movement. We can be a ‘safe haven' from abusive work relationships. We can TRUST our kids to make the right choices and encourage them to do whatever they think they need to to have a fulfilling happy life."
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This story mirrors a larger trend across the U.S. According to a 2025 Boomerang Kids survey by Thrivent, nearly 46% of parents now report that their adult children have moved back home. The leading reason? Housing affordability—32% pointed to soaring housing costs as the deciding factor. And while it may bring comfort to the kids, the survey found that 38% of parents say their retirement savings have taken a hit, while another 39% admit it's delayed shorter-term financial goals.
It isn't just temporary crash landings, either. Multigenerational living has been steadily growing. According to Angi's 2024 State of Home Spending Report, 1 in 4 homeowners are part of a multigenerational household. The 2025 National Association of Realtors Home Buyers & Sellers report shows 21% of Gen X, 12% of older millennials, and 15% of younger boomers purchased homes specifically to live with multiple generations under one roof—a sign that families are treating shared living not just as survival, but as strategy.
That's the balancing act: one generation fighting to escape the grind, another generation absorbing the financial shock of catching them. The Reddit father framed it as love first, logistics later. And in an era where "boomerang kids" are more common than ever, maybe that's the new blueprint. After all, as he put it, the house is big enough—and when everyone's welcome, no one has to face burnout alone.
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