Study confirms that Italian men are tied to their mamma's 'apron strings'

Maciamo

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BBC News : Italians 'slow to leave the nest'

An ever-increasing number of Italians are living with their parents until well into their 30s, a study says.

The proportion of Italians aged between 30 and 34 still living at home has doubled to well over a quarter, a recent government report concludes.

Sons linger even longer than daughters, the government says, with 36.5% of men aged 30 to 34 remaining at home, compared to just 18.1% of women.
...
The numbers seem to feed the idea of Italian sons so dependent on their mothers that they just cannot bear to leave the maternal home, men who have become known as "mammoni" in Italy.

Between 1990 and 2000 the rate of those aged between 30 and 34 still sharing the parental home rose from 14% to 27%, Eurispes says in its annual report.

Nothing new here, but the trend seems to be confirmed and accentuated.

It is interesting to see how European cultures can vary from one country to another. At the extreme opposite of Italy is Britain, where children are encouraged to leave their parental home from 16 to 18 years old and cater for themselves. There are even government loans destined to students who have to start paying their food, clothes and rent by themselves while pursuing their studies. These loans have the particullarity that the students do not have to repay the loan until the completion (or dropout) of the their studies.

I would say that it is mostly a North-South divide rather than Latin-Germanic one, as Nortern European tend to be more independent, even in the Northern France and French-speaking Belgium.
 
I'm sure this interesting rediscovery is not limited to Italy alone as you mentioned. It appears that in this women's lib. era, it is even fashionalbe to conduct this line of research. More power to women, and all of us men need not mind this. The two sexes need each other to procure the future generation anyway.

Thanks for this interesting find and spatial analysis, and please give us more when you find them. :genji:
 
At the extreme opposite of Italy is Britain, where children are encouraged to leave their parental home from 16 to 18 years old and cater for themselves

I don't know many people (in Britain) who do that nowadays. Maybe it used to be true. Most people I know went straight back to their parents house after college.

I'd say mid 20's is about the usual age to leave home now. House prices are so high in the UK that most young people rent, in fact many young people leave home, then come back later because they prefer extra money to independence.

Mind you by the mid 30's I don't think many people live with their parents!
 
jamosaka said:
I'd say mid 20's is about the usual age to leave home now. House prices are so high in the UK that most young people rent, in fact many young people leave home, then come back later because they prefer extra money to independence.

Well I know many people (students) who'd rather share a house with 4 or 5 friends than stay at their parents' home. There is also a bit of shame saying that you are working but still live with mum and dad.
 
Personally, I couldn't wait to get out of my parents house, but then I know people who say, 'look, I have a nice car, expensive clothes, I can buy what I want and I couldn't do that if I had my own place.'

Can see their point of view, but can't say I'd fancy it myself.
 
Dunno why they re-released this report, it was in the papers here (UK), ages ago. It is interesting though.
 
I think that in southern/eastern europe the family nucleous is stronger, well at least was. Now the west has penetrated and things are changing. I grew up with my grandparents in our house until i was 14. My grandtather was the man of the house, then my grandma, then my dad. This old structure is no longer though expet in some cases. There are many benefits of having grandparents home such as both parents can work and the grandparents can raise the kids, but i guess there also disadvantages. We were and are always a closely linked family, i dont rule out the possibility that i will have my parents move into my house when they get old, the idea of sending them to a home is not very appealing for me, but i'd think i would have a hard time finding a wife in these times who would agree to that :p
 
In Finland pretty much everyone moves awya form their parents' house when when they hit 18 or 19 - or 20 the latest! ;) Here, the govenment gives money to students for a certain period of time providing that they have get enough study credits each year (minimum is 2,7 credits a year, my Japanese course for example, 3x 2 hours a week and two semesters (fall and spring), is worth 5 credits).

There is also a system through which you can get cheap accomodation if you're a student. Usually this means that you'll have 2-3 flatmatesm and eryone has a small room but share a kitchen, toilet and shower. The rent for this kind of accomodation is around 200 euros a month (water, electricity and usually internet included) depending on the size of your room of course. The government pays 80% of your rent (to a certain limit), so I guess most people get around 400 euros a month to live on. 200 euros go to rent, 200 euros is for everything else. 200 euros isn't a whole lot to live on but it's better than nothing ^^; You can work, too, but you have to make sure you don't earn too much because then you'll lose the money the government pays you.

I think our system is really good because it allows young people to become independent and manage your own life. You don't necessarily have to depend on your parents but of course many students ask some money from their parents so they can pay books and whatnot. But if you don't ever go out and don't buy clothes or anything else except food (and don't each much), the 200 euros is enough ^^; Oh, and tuition is for free here in most places (universities etc).
 
miu said:
In Finland pretty much everyone moves awya form their parents' house when when they hit 18 or 19 - or 20 the latest! ;) Here, the govenment gives money to students for a certain period of time providing that they have get enough study credits each year (minimum is 2,7 credits a year, my Japanese course for example, 3x 2 hours a week and two semesters (fall and spring), is worth 5 credits).

There is also a system through which you can get cheap accomodation if you're a student. Usually this means that you'll have 2-3 flatmatesm and eryone has a small room but share a kitchen, toilet and shower. The rent for this kind of accomodation is around 200 euros a month (water, electricity and usually internet included) depending on the size of your room of course. The government pays 80% of your rent (to a certain limit), so I guess most people get around 400 euros a month to live on. 200 euros go to rent, 200 euros is for everything else. 200 euros isn't a whole lot to live on but it's better than nothing ^^; You can work, too, but you have to make sure you don't earn too much because then you'll lose the money the government pays you.

I think our system is really good because it allows young people to become independent and manage your own life. You don't necessarily have to depend on your parents but of course many students ask some money from their parents so they can pay books and whatnot. But if you don't ever go out and don't buy clothes or anything else except food (and don't each much), the 200 euros is enough ^^; Oh, and tuition is for free here in most places (universities etc).

That is a damm good system, but I think the setbak here is that if young people become so independent, they will forget about their parents who will probaply end up in a home later on. I know these 200 euro places, my friend in holland used to live in one then move to another, crappy stuff to tell you the truth, not very impressing. Indpendence and relying on yourself are good qualieties and attributes that we all need, but i have found that many times here in the west that means screw the parents, time to look out for numero uno
 
Maciamo said:
Well I know many people (students) who'd rather share a house with 4 or 5 friends than stay at their parents' home. There is also a bit of shame saying that you are working but still live with mum and dad.

I completely agree!

I have also noticed this so-called "north-south cultural division."

In Denmark, students get a grant from the government, which is about 400 USD a month for high school students and approx. 800 a month USD for students studying in further education. (Note: it is NOT a loan, but a grant given to every student--further loans can be taken up by the students).
[yes, Denmark is a wonderful country when considering the fact that students get paid by the government!!:)]
This also encourages many students to become independent and cater for themselves (especially students in further education).
Most people I know left home and got a room at a dorm or an apartment when they were 18-20 years of age.
I myself, moved to England alone after high school.
One of my closest friends moved to France for an exchange program, and she was at that time 19 years of age, and most of her coursemates were not as independent as her, ie. cater for themselves (many still lived at home with their parents, due to economic or other reasons I believe to be cultural).
I have a friend in Brazil, and she got her own apartment AFTER having completed her long education at university. This was not due to economic reasons, but more cultural reasons... :wave:
 
and from your observations, what would you think is a better way of going about one's early adulthood ? maybe a mix ? I know people that live in the same city as their paretns and visit often for meals and what not :p

hey ma, what's for lunch, oh btw, can u do my laundry as well :p
 
Miss_apollo7 said:
In Denmark, students get a grant from the government, which is about 400 USD a month for high school students and approx. 800 a month USD for students studying in further education. (Note: it is NOT a loan, but a grant given to every student--further loans can be taken up by the students).

Wow, if I lived in Dennmark, I'd double my income! :p How much do you have to spend on rent, though? And food? I definitely don't eat much and the 200e I have for food etc seems very insufficient most of the time ^^; (I'm not complaining, though! ^^; )

"and from your observations, what would you think is a better way of going about one's early adulthood ? maybe a mix ? I know people that live in the same city as their paretns and visit often for meals and what not "

Okay, I wash my laundry at my parents' place but I do it myself - mum doesn't do it for me. (I wash it there only because I don't want to pay for the card you need for the laundry machine... :blush: ) When you're a student you soon learn to appreciate that your mum actually cooks for you. You realise all the times you complained about everything were all a HUGE mistake xD

All in all I think living on your own is a good thing. You might be poor in the beginning but you learn to appreciate certain things for and don't take everything for granted. Knowing how to cook, keep your flat clean and do your own laundry IS good for you :haihai: Besides, who wants to have their parents asking about everything they do and everyone they meet? Not me, that's for sure...! :emblaugh:
 
miu said:
Wow, if I lived in Dennmark, I'd double my income! :p How much do you have to spend on rent, though? And food? I definitely don't eat much and the 200e I have for food etc seems very insufficient most of the time ^^; (I'm not complaining, though! ^^; )

How much we spend on rent?? Hmmm, well that depends on WHERE in Denmark you live, or whether you have your own apartment, or live in a room in a dormitory etc...
I live in an apartment in the city of Copenhagen, so that is of course expensive....however, I am no longer a student, thus, I can afford it. :)

Approximately, a room in a dorm in Denmark costs USD 300 per month. And maybe double the rent at least when in an apartment.
The student-grant paid by the Danish government to each student is not purely meant to accomodate each student with all costs, but is only meant as a "little bit of economic help" for needs such as books, and to cut down on student-jobs, which can have a poor effect on student-life when spending too much time working instead of studying.
 
~Bump~

Well in Chinese culture (Han in Taiwan, HK, M'sia, SG included) people don?ft move out of their parent's house until they get married, but these days?f people get married later in life so they stay with their parents longer.

Traditional Chinese families are the extended kind, but due to westernization more and more Chinese people live in a nuclear family mode.:haihai:

In France people move out when they can, so it depends on the person it ranges from 18 to mid 20s.

My husband is half Italian and his father's family comes from Northern Italy.

My father in law moved out of his home when he got married in his early 20s. But his brother who never got married still stayed with his mother. :blush:

They go on vacations with their mother and my mother in law to Italy every year though.:98: :14: :112: :86: :43:
 
Maciamo said:
BBC News : Italians 'slow to leave the nest'
Nothing new here, but the trend seems to be confirmed and accentuated.
It is interesting to see how European cultures can vary from one country to another. At the extreme opposite of Italy is Britain, where children are encouraged to leave their parental home from 16 to 18 years old and cater for themselves. There are even government loans destined to students who have to start paying their food, clothes and rent by themselves while pursuing their studies. These loans have the particullarity that the students do not have to repay the loan until the completion (or dropout) of the their studies.
I would say that it is mostly a North-South divide rather than Latin-Germanic one, as Nortern European tend to be more independent, even in the Northern France and French-speaking Belgium.

I have some new information regarding Italian people living at home. Nowadays it is getting very expensive to live out in Italy, only above average income earners with both the couple working can afford it.

Look at Italian products such as cheese like Parmesan cheese's price in comparison to say Swiss cheese, how much more expensive Italian ones are. Yet the income in Switzerland is higher than Italy.:souka:
 
Minty said:
I have some new information regarding Italian people living at home. Nowadays it is getting very expensive to live out in Italy, only above average income earners with both the couple working can afford it.
Look at Italian products such as cheese like Parmesan cheese's price in comparison to say Swiss cheese, how much more expensive Italian ones are. Yet the income in Switzerland is higher than Italy.:souka:
I have live in Rome and the prices for both food and accommodation were about hafl of those of London (the same year). Italy can be expensive for tourists staying hotels and eating in restaurants, but otherwise it is not really different from France, and actually cheaper in the South of Italy (from Napoli down).
 
Maciamo said:
I have live in Rome and the prices for both food and accommodation were about hafl of those of London (the same year). Italy can be expensive for tourists staying hotels and eating in restaurants, but otherwise it is not really different from France, and actually cheaper in the South of Italy (from Napoli down).

How long ago was this? My husband had a conversation recently with his mother about this like last weakened. As I have mentioned before my husband?fs dad comes from Italy, and they go there for vacation every year. My husband says Italian earn less on average than French, while Belgians, Swiss, Germans, British all have higher income than French on average.
 
I'm Italian and I left home when I was 16... I am a real strange case...
 
Time to revive this topic. Almost exactly 5 years after posting this article, the BBC has made a video out of it. The statistics have been updated, or at least presented differently. In 2005, the BBC claimed that 36.5% of men aged 30 to 34 still lived at home. Now it is 59% of men and women aged 18 to 34. Could be from the same data.
 
According to the video, BBC took that percentages from La Stampa.
 

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