Unconventional Trend Sees Working Moms Take In Stay-At-Home ‘Trad-Sons’

Oct 13, 2025 by apost team

A new generation of men is embracing a surprising domestic role: the stay-at-home son. Across the country, more adult men are moving back in with their parents – not just to save money, but to take on homemaking duties once associated with traditional housewives. 

According to November 2024 U.S. Census Bureau data, roughly one in three adults aged 18 to 34 live with their parents. An April 2025 Pew Research report found that men were more likely than women to do so, often due to rising living costs and unstable job markets. Dubbed “trad-sons” or “hub-sons,” these men mirror the “tradwife” lifestyle by cooking, cleaning, and managing the household while their parents foot the bills.

Family therapist Kathryn Smerling said the rise of the trad-son wasn’t due to “gentle parenting” but to deeper societal struggles.

“There’s a lot of unrest in men in their 20s and 30s today,” she told The New York Post, adding, “Most young people haven’t truly found themselves yet. For some, it’s comforting to be at home. They feel safe and secure with their parents in a very conflictual world.”

Still, Smerling believed the setup should be temporary.

“If a young man isn’t working, he should be doing the laundry, cooking and cleaning,” she said, continuing, “It teaches them vital life skills, which they can apply once they move out on their own.”

She added the “dynamic doesn’t upset the family system – it strengthens it.” 

One of those men was 33-year-old Luke Parkhurst from Las Vegas, who proudly called himself a “stay-at-home son.” In detail, Luke was jobless, rent-free, and living with his mom, Patty Parkhurst – and both couldn’t be happier. 

But Luke’s setup wasn’t about laziness or freeloading.

“I’m a stay-at-home son. I do the grocery shopping, cook steak for dinner, clean the pool and fix things around the house,” he explained.

Luke’s domestic lifestyle began after walking away from a lucrative job as a door-to-door solar salesman, where he earned $170,000 a year. He moved back home in the summer of 2025, trading financial success for peace of mind. 

“This has been my dream job since I was a little kid,” he told The New York Post, remembering how he would list it on his “When I Grow Up” school assignments. “My mom is at work right now, she covers everything, and I stay home,” he continued.

For Luke, it was an arrangement that worked. He contributed by keeping the home running smoothly while Patty provided financial support. He said the setup gave him purpose and stability without the stress of the rat race. Patty, too, liked the arrangement.

“It’s been a relief to have somebody go do the grocery shopping and take out the garbage,” she exclaimed. 

The mother of four, whose other children include a multimillionaire daughter, a restaurant manager, and a pilot, spoke fondly about Luke, saying, “He’s my baby. I love taking care of people – and he has been really helpful (around the house). I call him my hub-son.”

Luke moved home after realizing his high-paying job wasn’t fulfilling him.

“I was doing great financially, but none of it was feeding my soul,” he recounted. He then found himself embracing the trad-son life, admitting, “Of course I don’t want to go back to the workforce.” 

However, he was far from the only one finding comfort in this modern twist on traditional domesticity. Many men, including “Jeopardy!” champion Brendan Liaw, have also embraced the stay-at-home son lifestyle.

“It’s a pretty good gig, but I’m worried I’m going to be called a loiterer at some point,” Liaw once joked to host Ken Jennings. 

apost.com

The “trad-sons” setup may not come with a paycheck, but it seems to pay off in peace of mind. What do you think about such arrangements? Let us know, and pass this on to family and friends who might find this interesting!