'"Trad sons" are the new breed of men. And I'm not mad about it.'

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When I first heard about the trend tradwife (short for traditional wife), to be honest, I wasn't a fan. It's nothing personal to anyone who loves the domestic life — it's just not for me.

And there's something a little off about celebrating a woman in the kitchen wearing an apron.

Like our foremothers didn't burn their bras and march the streets demanding our right for equal rights to revere someone baking sourdough from scratch.

But when I heard about a new phenomenon called "trad sons"? As a MOB (mother of boys), this piqued my interest. My first instinct was: "How do I turn mine into one?"

And it doesn't feel like a nod to the patriarchy like the tradwife movement — it almost feels like a quiet rebellion against it.

Watch: Were you the favourite child? Post continues below.

What exactly is a "trad son"?

A "trad son" ("traditional son" or stay-at-home son) describes young adult men, typically in their 20s or even 30s, who (still) live at home with their parents and focus on domestic chores like cooking, cleaning and helping around the house.

Sounds like a dream, really.

The concept first started when Brendan Liaw, 28, was introduced as a 'stay-at-home son' on an episode of Jeopardy! back in May. He explained that the term sounded better than "unemployed."

The description went viral and since then, it's evolved into a trad son" movement blowing up TikTok.

Image: TikTok @dougherty.dozen.fan / @networthmentality.

The thing that I'm a little torn about is this: instead of working full-time or contributing financially, they contribute domestically around the home.

So, in lieu of paying rent, they exchange domestic labour for accommodation.

This phenomenon combines traditional family support with a twist — sons take on a role analogous to the "tradwife," but as unmarried men opting for comfort, security and familial convenience over independence.

Unlike boomerang kids (who move back home temporarily), trad sons identify with and embrace a lifestyle of being a "stay-at-home son."

My conflicted feelings as a Croatian mum.

I did the unthinkable to my poor parents. I moved to the other side of the country as soon as I turned 18 and never lived at home or in the same state as them again.

This is my worst parenting nightmare.

As a mother of sons, my secret confession is that I would love for them to never leave the nest.

But the responsible parent in me thinks: if my sons aren't working or living independently, that's a red flag on my parenting.

But the landscape has changed drastically in the last 20 years. Has the "cozzie livs" crisis shifted the bar?

The reality check.

Around 1.5 million more adults under 35 live with their parents today than a decade ago.

And when you look at the reality of the cost-of-living crisis we're in. Economic pressures like inflation, unaffordable housing and job instability — it makes sense.

I'm in my forties and I rent. What hope do future generations have of entering the property market?

I asked a 26-year-old "boomerang son" why he moved back home.

"Due to redundancy and lack of confidence in securing a new role quickly (I still haven't, the market is not in a good state)," *Ben told Mamamia.

"Paying $700 a week for a studio the size of a small hotel room without my prior salary wasn't sustainable."

The mental health angle.

In a world where young men are increasingly struggling with loneliness and connection, maybe having that built-in family support system isn't such a bad thing? An unexpected benefit that *Ben found.

"I was surprised by my mental health improving. I didn't realise how much of a negative impact spending days in my studio flat alone was having until I moved."

But what about dating?

Here's where it gets interesting. What happens when these trad sons start dating? Do they bring dates home to meet mum?

As an elder millennial, it's always been seen as a red flag if a man is still living at home. Except maybe if they have a pool house in a mansion like Ryan from The O.C.

But with everyone living at home longer for financial reasons, are we looking at a new generation where living with your parents well into your twenties and thirties isn't seen as an "ick"?

*Ben's found it's not. "Being mid-twenties and living at home isn't a deal-breaker on the dating front now. It's funny how rapidly things change in the space of five years."

Maybe the stigma around multi-generational living is shifting.

The generational shift.

Perhaps we're witnessing a broader cultural change. The same generation that's redefining relationships, setting firmer boundaries at work and choosing authenticity over performance might also be redefining what independence looks like.

"I'm seeing more people around my age moving back home due to rent increases and insecure and unstable employment," *Ben confirmed.

"Many of us thought we would be more stable and secure in our independence by now, but are also lucky we have parents to fall back on," he shared.

Maybe for Gen Z and younger millennials, independence isn't about moving out at 18 — it's about making conscious choices about how and where you want to live, regardless of societal expectations.

And using the safety of the nest, to be able to financially afford to build your own.

"The end game will be to buy a small apartment. However, with how rapidly things are changing regarding housing affordability and job security, I expect long-term planning to be a bit tricky," *Ben admitted.

The cultural perspective.

Culturally, multigenerational living is notably common in countries around Southern and Eastern Europe.

Where my mum's family is from — a tiny little island off the coast of Croatia called Korčula — their houses are set up with different levels for older parents to move in with their adult children.

And isn't that lovely? Instead of moving people into retirement villages, they just move them in.

Where I've landed.

I think it's totally okay to stay in the nest for longer, and certainly to return to it when times get tough and you need a soft landing.

And just like my teen and tween-aged sons do now, they need to help around the house and contribute domestically like you would in a shared house situation.

But they also need to either be actively looking for work, studying and or working. And they definitely need to do their own washing.

The European in me is here for the idea of multigenerational living. And if it means the next generation can actually save money for a mortgage — if you can help them, why wouldn't you?

*Name has been changed to protect privacy.

Feature Image: Step Brothers c/o Colombia Pictures.

You can read more news and views from Annaliese Todd here.