A Parent’s Guide to Living With Adult Children by Catherine Jennings - REVIEW
A review by Victoria Walsh
A Parent’s Guide to Living With Adult Children by Catherine Jennings is not just a book about boundaries, communication, or the logistics of cohabitating with your grown offspring; it’s part roadmap, part therapy session, and part much-needed sigh of relief for parents who feel like they’re treading water in uncharted family dynamics. With a voice that feels equal parts Brené Brown, Bridget Jones, and a very patient family therapist, Jennings gives readers the ultimate survival guide to navigating life with the ‘boomerang generation.’
Before diving into this book review, I want to explain why A Parent’s Guide to Living With Adult Children feels so personally relevant—and why it will resonate with many others. The book appeared in my inbox just three days before my 28-year-old daughter and her wife moved ‘back home.’ My daughter first left for university nearly a decade ago, returned briefly during the pandemic, and then moved out again after the first lockdown in 2020 into a flat share. She later met and married her wonderful wife, and together they lived in an expensive rented flat for four years. Over time, their rent soared to over £2,200 a month, prompting them to make the difficult decision to move back home and save money. Whether it’s pure coincidence or something deeper that brought this book to me at this exact moment, I don’t know—but what I do know is how grateful I am to Catherine Jennings for putting pen to paper.
For those unfamiliar, this is the generation of adult children who are moving back home in numbers not seen since the Great Depression. Jennings paints this picture vividly and hilariously: one minute you’re deciding if their childhood bedroom would make a better home office or yoga retreat, the next you’re wondering if your fridge—or your patience—can handle another full-time resident. She doesn’t just validate your frustration; she reframes it as an opportunity to build something new—a relationship based on respect, balance, and growth.
Jennings says this isn’t a ‘finger-wagging lecture or a thinly veiled judgment session’ about avocado toast addiction (she doesn’t mention avocado). Jennings dives right into the messy reality of parenting adults who are either not quite ready for independence but too old for curfews or have lived an independent life and returned to the nest. Through practical tips, relatable anecdotes, and refreshingly realistic advice, she tackles everything from negotiating shared expenses to respecting privacy under one roof. And yes, she covers how to set boundaries without accidentally starting an emotional war.
What stands out is Jennings’ knack for finding light in dark moments. The unwashed dishes piling up faster than your grocery bill? The financial strain of doubling your household size overnight? She gets it. But rather than wallow, she offers ways to transform those challenges into teachable moments—for both you and your adult children. Want to address entitlement with kindness? She’s got you. Struggling with enabling versus supporting? She’ll walk you through it. And if your patience is wearing thin, her advice on active listening and clear communication might just save your sanity.
How-tos written about managing life can be a tad patronising and also a little fur coat and no knickers, meaning big on advice but lacking in practicality. However, one of the book’s strongest elements is its context. Jennings isn’t here to blame parents or their adult kids for this phenomenon; instead, she places it squarely in the realm of modern societal shifts—student loans that rival mortgages, skyrocketing rents, and a job market that seems to require wizardry to break into. These aren’t failures, she argues, but hurdles both generations are learning to navigate together.
Jennings also leans heavily into the emotional side of this journey; if you’re adverse to therapy (or you're a know it all), this element or tone might put you off. Jennings doesn’t just hand you solutions; she encourages reflection, growth, and suggests a hefty dose of self-compassion. There’s a sense that she’s not just teaching you how to survive this phase but how to emerge from it with stronger family bonds and a different perspective of your immediate world. And through it all, her humour keeps things pacy—even when she’s delving into the more awkward or painful realities of shared living spaces.
Parenting adult children (even if they don’t want or need parenting), Jennings insists, isn’t about control or blame. It’s about crafting a partnership, embracing change, and finding grace in the unexpected chaos (in my case, having an extended wardrobe and makeup bag is a surprising bonus). This weighty tome isn’t just a 2025 guide to young adults; it’s a practical lifeline for parents hoping to turn their home from a temporary war zone into a launching pad for their adult child’s next big flight. Whether you’ve got a couch-surfing Deliveroo ordering procrastinator or an ambitious dreamer saving for their future, Jennings meets you where you are, equipped with wisdom, compassion, and just about enough wit to keep you smiling.
With all that said, as I write this review, I’m firing off an email to the oracle with the subject line: “HELP—boomerang adult child has landed (plus wife), part-time uni resident has brought a plus-one (girlfriend), and elderly mum may need full-time care at home (because care homes laugh at my bank account). The house? It’s groaning under the weight of one too many mismatched Tupperware lids and everyone’s emotional baggage. Her reply? Portsmouth, next week, round-the-world cruise. All-inclusive. Food, drinks, and a 24/7 concierge. 50+ only. Your cabin is waiting. Don’t forget your sunscreen. Honestly, I’ve started packing!
About Catherine Jennings
Taken from Catherine Jennings' bio on Amazon - Jennings is armed with a Bachelor of Science and an M.Phil research degree in Science, and has spent her career empowering families and young people. Since 2010, she has supported children in the care system, helped families impacted by domestic violence, and worked closely with neurodivergent teenagers. She is driven by a passion for encouraging meaningful connections in the face of chaos and trauma. Jennings blends professional expertise with personal experience to offer practical and compassionate advice. As an author, Jennings has written ‘A Parent’s Guide to Living With Adult Children,’ published in 2025, a comprehensive manual on boundaries and communication, and ‘Remembering My Pet: Pet Grief Memory Book for Kids (Rainbow Bridge Pet Loss)’. Plus
‘The Unforgettable Journey to Rainbow Bridge (Rainbow Bridge Pet Loss)‘ which are children’s books published under the name Catherine Wilson in 2025. She resides in the UK with her family and beloved pets.
You can buy A Parent’s Guide to Living With Adult Children book on Amazon - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Parents-Guide-Living-Adult-Children/dp/B0DSJBSHB3
