Not Laziness, but Adaptation: Why Do Young Adults Stay with Their Parents?
When living with parents around the age of thirty is mentioned, labels such as the Italian bamboccioni, German Nesthocker, or the Czech “mamánci” are often used. These terms suggest an image of a comfortable young person who is reluctant to leave their childhood bedroom. However, a look at the data shows that the reality is much more complex and less about comfort than it might seem.
What actually determines whether young adults plan for independence? And how is the current housing crisis reflected in their dreams?
Swimmers vs. Treaders
Research by Jana Závodská from the Department of Sociology, FSS MU, inspired by the work of Settersten & Ray and Filandri et al., uses the apt metaphor of "Swimmers" and "Treaders" to explain this situation:
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Swimmers come from families with higher cultural and economic capital. Their family background serves as a motor, allowing them to actively navigate toward independence.
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Treaders find themselves in a capital deficit. Their energy is not focused on progress, but merely on staying afloat. Consequently, preference adaptation occurs—young people, consciously or unconsciously, lower their ambitions to avoid the frustration of unattainable goals.
Data from the Generations and Gender Survey (GGS) show a clear connection: young people in households experiencing financial strain exhibit significantly lower aspirations for independent housing.
An interesting factor is the father's education as an indicator of cultural capital. The research confirmed that parental university education is a significant prerequisite for higher housing aspirations among children, with a pronounced "threshold effect" observed for university-level education.
Lessons for Housing Policy
International comparisons (e.g., with the Netherlands or Estonia) suggest that the trajectories of young adults in the Czech Republic are heavily influenced by the local housing crisis. For policymakers, this carries a fundamental message: improving objective conditions alone is not enough.
If we want to support the independence of the younger generation, we must also focus on the stability of the rental market and the overall perception of opportunities. Living with parents is not a lifestyle choice, but often a rational response to an uncertain world outside.
