It’s that time of year again…where everywhere you go someone is always asking What are you thankful for? Most adults are thankful for one thing… their family. A new addition, a healthy parent, a strong marriage – it can all leave a smile upon us at the end of a long year. Our family is not any different; except that we have not 2, or even 3, but four generations living in one single family home. I wouldn’t have it any other Way!
The saying it takes a village to raise a child has never been more true than it is today. Combine today’s busy life style with modern society dangers and it is more than practical to have an extra pair of hands, eyes and ears. Some of the other benefits we see from our multi generation house hold are…
-We have a built in reminder of tougher times. Times before television, microwaves and school buses; when children had to walk to school up hill both ways in the blistering snow!
-There is always an emergency babysitter close by.
-Motherly advice is only a blood curdling scream away.
-But by far my favorite we have the ability to make memories in the little moments not just on weekends and holidays.
Of course the benefits are not all one sided. My mother is thankful for the ability to help in raising her grandchildren. Help reduce waste. By all living together we reduce our heat, energy and resources by 2/3. And the financial benefits of running one household instead of three. Granny is thankful for the security of knowing that we will always be here to care for her. While I know multi-generation living is not for everyone, however it is on the rise in the US, and it is what I am thankful for this holiday season. If you have a multi generation house hold I would love to hear from you. How does your family make it work?
