Most people are more likely to help family members than a random stranger — and that is how it ought to be. But there comes a time when you have to start creating boundaries. The last thing you want is to sever ties with a family member because they abused your kindness.

The Pew Research Center recently came out with a report that found a growth in multigenerational households by 16% since the 1970s. Twenty-five percent of adults between the ages of 25 and 35 years old were living in their parents’ homes in 2021, compared to only 9% of that same age range back in 1971.