It's a North-South thing
Recently, an in-law from Arizona, a relative newcomer to the family, commented on the behavior of another in-law, who I've known for some time: "Between you and me, I find it very odd that one of her family members is always living with them." The person to whom she was referring had just had her brother move out after several years, and now her mother was there, sharing space with the married couple and their two young children. I know that the rental income was convenient in the first case, and baby-sitting services in the second case have been invaluable for two full-time working parents, especially in these times of uncertain school safety. I have lived in the South longer than I ever lived in the North. I married a Southerner. So it's probably no huge surprise that I "get" this aspect of Southern life: Family is Forever . Families often share their ho...