Hey Mommy - I Mean Roomie!

Studies are showing that there's been a huge spike in parents moving in with their children, reports the Chicago Sun-Times. And this goes for parents under 65 too:

There's also been an increase in folks cohabiting with in-laws and siblings. While there a number of factors that could be behind this, researchers are saying a large reason could be the struggling economy and rising costs of living, which is forcing families to combine expenses.
Stephanie Coontz, director of research at the Council on Contemporary Families, also says that parents and children are closer than they were in the past. This can be a bad thing for what they call the "helicopter parent", who hovers too closely, but a good thing for parents and children developing close friendships in addition to child-parent dynamic.
While it's nice to think closer relationships are the reasons why more parents are moving in with their children, I don't doubt that the economic crisis in this country is a large factor as well. Regardless, giving back to your parents in this way is probably something many children do willingly and happily.