Unit 6 Lesson C

We had to do household chores like clean up our rooms and do dishes and things when we were
eight or nine.

Tuvimos que hacer los quehaceres domésticos como limpiar nuestras habitaciones y
lavar platos y cosas cuando teníamos ocho o nueve años.
I can't wait to move out of my parents' house. It's not that I have problems living there, but it's good
to have your own space.

No puedo esperar para mudarme de la casa de mis padres. No es que tenga

problemas para vivir allí, pero es bueno tener tu propio espacio.
As soon as I had a job, my parents expected me to contribute to the household bills, like the
phone and electricity and things.

Tan pronto como tuve un trabajo, mis padres esperaban que yo contribuyera con las
facturas del hogar, como el teléfono, la electricidad y otras cosas.
I think it's important to pay rent to your parents when you start working. You would pay a lot more to
live on your own.

Creo que es importante pagar el alquiler a tus padres cuando comienzas a trabajar.
Pagarías mucho más para vivir por tu cuenta.
My younger brother has trouble observing the house rules that my parents set. Like he never
cleans up after dinner or keeps his room tidy.

Mi hermano menor tiene problemas para observar las reglas de la casa que
establecieron mis padres. Como si nunca limpiara después de la cena o mantuviera su
habitación ordenada.
I've never had to pay for food, living with my parents. They paid for everything  – even my favorite
snacks.

Nunca he tenido que pagar por la comida, viviendo con mis padres. Pagaron por todo,
incluso mis bocadillos favoritos.
We never did our own laundry. My parents used to wash all our clothes and dry and fold them.

Nunca lavamos nuestra propia ropa. Mis padres solían lavar toda nuestra ropa y
secarla y doblarla.
My parents didn't expect us to cook our own meals. But we often made our own lunch and snacks
and things like that.

Mis padres no esperaban que cocináramos nuestras propias comidas. Pero a menudo
preparamos nuestro propio almuerzo y meriendas y cosas así.
Sarah So how are things going, now that you've graduated?
Franco OK, but it was hard moving back in with my parents. I'm not saying we don't get along, but
frankly there's a bit of friction. You know, they have all these rules.
Sarah Well, I have to say, it is their house. What I mean is, it's probably not easy for them, either.
Franco I know. I'm just saying it's hard to get used to. And they've even asked me to pay rent now.
Sarah Well, . . . you'd have to pay rent if you had your own place.
Franco I know. I don't mean that they should support me completely, but I could use some help till I
get on my feet. In other words, I just wish they'd give me a break.
Sarah Well, you could always work more hours if you need to.
I can't wait to get my own place. I'm not saying living with my parents is bad. But it'll be
fun fixing up my own apartment.

No puedo esperar para conseguir mi propio lugar. No digo que vivir con mis
padres sea malo. Pero será divertido arreglar mi propio departamento.

You can save money when you live at home. I don't mean that you shouldn't contribute
toward rent though.
Puedes ahorrar dinero cuando vives en casa. Sin embargo, no quiero decir que
no debas contribuir al alquiler.

I guess you have to live by your parents' rules. What I'm saying is, you're really a guest
in their home.
Supongo que tienes que vivir según las reglas de tus padres. Lo que digo es que
realmente eres un invitado en su casa.

My mom says I have to move out when I get a job.

In other words, she just wants me to be independent, which is fine.
Mi madre dice que tengo que mudarme cuando consiga un trabajo.
En otras palabras, ella solo quiere que yo sea independiente, lo cual está bien.

I've always had to do my own laundry and stuff. I'm just saying I can take care of myself
and do that kind of thing.
Siempre tuve que lavar mi propia ropa y esas cosas. Solo digo que puedo
cuidarme y hacer ese tipo de cosas.
If you don't pay rent at home, you should still contribute somehow. What I mean is, you
could help redecorate a room or something
Si no paga el alquiler en casa, aún debe contribuir de alguna manera. Lo que
quiero decir es que podrías ayudar a redecorar una habitación o algo así.
No puedo esperar para conseguir mi propio lugar.
Lo que quiero decir es que será bueno tener mi propio espacio.
2
Puedes ahorrar dinero cuando vives en casa.
En otras palabras, es más barato vivir en casa.
3
Supongo que tienes que vivir según las reglas de tus padres.
Lo que digo es que debes respetar cómo quieren vivir.
44
Mi madre dice que tengo que mudarme cuando consiga un trabajo.
No digo que no sea razonable, pero es difícil encontrar un lugar barato cerca.
55
Siempre tuve que lavar mi propia ropa y esas cosas.
Quiero decir, no me resulta difícil vivir solo.
66
Si no paga el alquiler en casa, aún debe contribuir de alguna manera.
Lo que quiero decir es que deberías hacer algo para agradecer a tus padres por
cuidarte.
 Sarah: So how are things going, now that you’ve graduated?
 Franco: OK, but it was hard moving back in with my parents. I’m not saying we don’t get
along, but frankly there’s a bit of friction. You know, they have all these rules.
 Sarah: Well, I have to say, it is their house. What I mean is, it’s probably not easy for them,
either.
 Franco: I know. I’m just saying it’s hard to get used to. And they’ve even asked me to pay
rent now.
 Sarah: Well, . . . you’d have to pay rent if you had your own place.
 Franco: I know. I don’t mean that they should support me completely, but I could used some
help till I get on my feet. In other words, I just wish they’d give me a break.
 Sarah: Well, you could always work more hours if you need to.
ADo you think it's hard for adult children to live with their parents?
BI honestly / frankly don't think it is. Some of my friends complain about their parents. But to be
honest / I have to say I think they're lucky to have a free place to live.
¿Crees que es difícil para los hijos adultos vivir con sus padres?
BI honestamente / francamente no lo creo. Algunos de mis amigos se quejan de sus padres. Pero,
para ser sincero, debo decir que creo que tienen suerte de tener un lugar libre para vivir.
2
AIs it reasonable for parents to ask their kids to pay rent to live at home?
BI don't really know, to be honest / to tell you the truth . I know some parents who pay all their kids'
expenses, and I have to say / honestly I think that's a bad idea.
¿Es razonable que los padres les pidan a sus hijos que paguen el alquiler para vivir en casa?
BI realmente no lo sé, para ser honesto / para decirte la verdad. Conozco a algunos padres que
pagan todos los gastos de sus hijos, y tengo que decir que, sinceramente, creo que es una mala
idea.

3
AWhen do you think is the best time for kids to move out and be independent?
BTo tell you the truth / To be honest with you , I think it depends. I suppose after they get their first
real job. Though my sister's working, and quite frankly / I have to say she couldn't afford to move out
right now.

¿Cuándo crees que es el mejor momento para que los niños se muden y sean
independientes?
B Para decirte la verdad / Para ser honesto contigo, creo que depende. Supongo
que después de que obtengan su primer trabajo real. Aunque mi hermana está
trabajando y, francamente, tengo que decir que no podía darse el lujo de mudarse
en este momento.
1 ¿Crees que es difícil para los hijos adultos vivir con sus padres?

No lo creo. Francamente, esa es la responsabilidad de los padres. Ya es bastante

difícil para los jóvenes ponerse de pie en estos días.
Honestamente, creo que es imposible sin ningún daño a su relación. Usualmente
tienen estilos de vida tan diferentes.
A decir verdad, no creo que sea tan difícil de hacer. Solo tienen que soportar los
malos hábitos del otro y no centrarse en las pequeñas cosas.
2 ¿Es razonable que los padres les pidan a sus hijos que paguen el alquiler para
vivir en casa?

A decir verdad, creo que lo es. Creo que los niños necesitan aprender a ser
responsables cuando se convierten en adultos jóvenes. Solo tiene que llegar a
una cantidad razonable.
No lo creo. Francamente, esa es la responsabilidad de los padres. Ya es bastante
difícil para los jóvenes ponerse de pie en estos días.
Honestamente, no es irrazonable que los niños hagan las tareas del hogar. Todos
tienen que ayudar.
3 ¿Cuándo crees que es el mejor momento para que los niños se muden y sean
independientes?

Tengo que decir que creo que es cuando van a la universidad. Es una buena
oportunidad para aprender gradualmente.
A decir verdad, nunca. Los padres nunca deben interferir en las relaciones de sus
hijos.
Para ser honesto contigo, no estoy seguro de que haya un momento
particularmente bueno. Creo que la situación de todos es diferente, entonces. . .
Realmente no vale la pena preocuparse.

A Do you think it's hard for adult children to live with their parents?

B Honestly, I think it's impossible to do without any damage to their relationship. They usually have
such different lifestyles

A Is it reasonable for parents to ask their kids to pay rent to live at home?

B To tell you the truth, I think it is. I think kids need to learn to be responsible when they become
young adults. You just have to come up with a reasonable amount.

A When do you think is the best time for kids to move out and be independent?

B I have to say, I think it's when they go to university. It's a good chance to learn gradually.
KarenHow are things? Is Britney still living with you?
SteveYeah, she is. But to be honest, things are difficult. There's a lot of friction at the moment.
KarenWhy am I not surprised . . . ?
SteveI know. You've been through all of this with Nick, haven't you?
KarenOhhh, yeah.
SteveWhat I'm saying is, it's hard for us to talk to her right now, and it's costing us a fortune.
KarenYou know, when Nick was home, after the first month, we stopped helping him out financially.
We just refused to lend him money.
SteveTo tell you the truth, I'm not sure that we could do that. Her friends all get help from their
parents, so . . .
KarenAnd he had to buy his own little extras. We paid for his food and that was all. He had to buy his
own clothes and things like shampoo and everything.
SteveWell, that sounds reasonable. The thing is, she doesn't seem very motivated right now. I don't
mean that she doesn't want a job, but she seems to keep putting it off and quite frankly she should
be sending off her résumé to lots of places. Instead she's watching movies all day.
KarenWell, why not have a rule that says she has to apply for one job every single day? That's what
we did. We just insisted. And he did – well, except on the weekends.
SteveYeah? And he's got a job now, right? So it worked. Hmm. That sounds like a good idea.
KarenRight. And does she have a date to move out?
SteveUm, no . . .
KarenThat was another thing, and I have to say it was the best thing we did. We said to him, we
said, "You have six months to get a job and to find a place to rent."
SteveBoy, you're tough. I honestly don't know that we could ask her to leave. But in any case, you
should go on TV advising parents about this stuff.
KarenWell, I'm not saying that we wanted to throw him out of the house, but we wanted him to get
on his feet, in other words, just to be independent.
SteveHmm. I have to say, that sounds appealing.
KarenOh, and then when he did move out, we changed the locks!
SteveYou didn't!
KarenWe sure did. I'm not saying he's not welcome. We love to see him – and his friends, too – but
what I mean is, he comes as our guest. Frankly, it's tough love, but honestly, it works.

Example
Parents of "boomerang" kids should come up with a plan quickly so they can encourage
their son or daughter to move out again soon! One good rule is to set a move out date.
What I'm saying is, make it clear that it's impossible to stay after that date.

ExampleClassmate's post
Parents of "boomerang" kids should come up with a plan quickly so they can encourage their son
or daughter to move out again soon! One good rule is to set a move out date. What I'm saying is,
make it clear that it's impossible to stay after that date . . . 
Sample commentI have to say, it's easy to put off moving out of your parents' home, so a move
out date or deadline could be a good idea. It's worth helping your children find a new place to
live, too. In other words, set a deadline, but help your children too.

¡Los padres de los niños "boomerang" deben elaborar un plan rápidamente para que puedan
alentar a su hijo o hija a mudarse nuevamente pronto! Una buena regla es establecer una fecha de
mudanza. Lo que digo es que dejen en claro que es imposible quedarse después de esa fecha. . .
Comentario de muestra Tengo que decir que es fácil posponer la mudanza de la casa de sus
padres, por lo que una fecha o fecha límite de mudanza podría ser una buena idea. También vale
la pena ayudar a sus hijos a encontrar un nuevo lugar para vivir. En otras palabras, establezca
una fecha límite, pero también ayude a sus hijos.

1
I like living with my parents. I'm not saying I won't move out one day. But for now it's fine.
1
Me gusta vivir con mis padres. No digo que no me mude un día. Pero por ahora está bien.

2
To be honest with you, I feel sorry for people who live alone. What I mean is, they must get
lonely sometimes. I have to say, I'd hate it.
2
Para ser honesto contigo, siento pena por las personas que viven solas. Lo que quiero decir
es que a veces deben sentirse solos. Tengo que decir que lo odiaría.

3
To tell you the truth, it's hard to live far away from your relatives. What I'm saying is, it's just
good to be near family. I mean, it just feels better somehow.
3
A decir verdad, es difícil vivir lejos de sus parientes. Lo que digo es que es bueno estar
cerca de la familia. Quiero decir, se siente mejor de alguna manera.

4
You can't do much about it if you don't like your college roommate. In other words, you're stuck.

No puedes hacer mucho al respecto si no te gusta tu compañero de cuarto de la

universidad. En otras palabras, estás atrapado.

Q Did you (or do you) like living with your parents?

A Actually, I still live with my parents, and to be honest, I don't have any problems getting along with
them. I think I would be lonely living by myself. I mean, they're pretty easygoing, but if I make a
mess, I have to clean it up, and if I have friends over, I have to ask first. What I'm saying is, it's not
like I can do anything. But that's OK. I think it's impossible to live with anyone if you don't have some
rules to follow.

Q What are the advantages of living alone?

A To tell you the truth, I think there are lots of advantages to living alone. I mean, you can do exactly
what you want. You don't have to put up with other people's bad habits. There are no problems
taking turns with chores. There's no one to argue with. I have to say, it sounds very appealing.

Q Is it important to live near your relatives?

A I think it depends. I mean, if you get offered a great job in another city, being near your relatives is
not a priority. I'm not saying it's not nice to be near them, but you know, I wouldn't refuse a job
because of that. Also it's possible to find good friends who are like family. And you can always visit
family if you live someplace else.

Q What would you do if you didn't like your college roommate?

A Oh, good question. Well, . . . it actually happened to me. I told my mom and she said it wasn't
worth worrying about, and just to focus on my studies. Which was fine for a while. But I just couldn't
put up with her mess, and she always woke me up late at night, like even when I had a test the next
day. I have to say, it was impossible to talk to her. So in the end, I had to move out.