Love your family and want to be closer?
Or maybe you are part of the “sandwich generation”? This generation is generally in their 30s through to their 50s, with children to care for – and ageing parents who also require their care.
Regardless of how it is happening, intergenerational living is on the rise.
Increasingly, this family dynamic is finding itself living together under one roof.
While the closeness of intergenerational living can be a wonderful thing, it can also lead to some difficulties. Here are some of the challenges that may arise: and how you can smooth the way.
1. Communicate!
Words are powerful and are often an easy way to fix simple problems that might crop up. Always keep communication open and review what’s working and what’s not working. Families that talk together, stay together.
2. Maintain your regular routines!
You don’t have to overhaul your whole schedule if you are embarking on intergenerational living. In fact, it is usually better if you don’t!
Keep to your regular routines and communicate this to everyone. Doing so creates consistency and allows everyone to know each other’s plans. If family members are running on different schedules or have different expectations about work, housework, cooking, childcare arrangements and other responsibilities, this can quickly add to stress and tension.
Our tips:
Put time aside for all-family time, parent-child time, grandparent-child time, couple time and personal time.
Share housework. Children can help their parents and their grandparents, and it is equally important for elderly relatives to also have household responsibilities, which will help foster independence and their sense of purpose.
Recognise that family members all have different needs related to food, sleep, exercise, noise levels and socialisation. Respect one another’s needs and make sacrifices when necessary to ensure that everyone’s health and wellness is encouraged and protected.
3. Ensure everyone has their own space – when you need it
It is helpful for everyone to have their own space to retreat to when they need a break or quiet time. But often, there aren’t always enough rooms in the house to do this.
Just Cabins can provide you with more space for multi-generational living. Building extensions onto your house can be an expensive hassle, so a cabin can be a cost-effective way to provide accommodation for extended family. Our cabins give everyone their own warm, dry, comfortable and private space, plugged into the power mains.
Only need extra space for a temporary extended family living arrangement? Just Cabins can move a rental cabin in for your family when you need it, and out again when you no longer need it.
All About Your Cabin Space
Standard: 3.6m x 2.4m
Large: 4.2m x 2.4m
Extra-large: 4.8m x 2.4m
Plus, they all include:
Quality carpet and curtains
Modern colour scheme and fittings
Multiple power points
Electrical WOF
1.8m wooden deck with canopy
Outdoor light
Electrical lead to plug into power
Lockable ranch slider and window with security latch
Smoke alarm
Just Cabins may even have some further customisation options available – talk to your local franchisee for more information and to establish your ideal intergenerational living space today!
Check out these cabin location options:
1. Cabins for rent in Auckland
2. Cabins for rent in kaitaia & far north.
4. Cabins for rent in northland and whangarei
5. Cabins for rent in north-shore
6. Cabins for rent in waitakere
