Mattha Busby, 32, recently moved back home with his mother Mandy, 63, for the first time in 12 years. He has become one of the 33.7 per cent of British men aged 20 to 34 who now live with their parents, according to Office for National Statistics data reported earlier this year, a figure far above the pre-millennium rate. But while the cost of living usually drives this generation back to the nest, Mattha’s decision instead involves wanting to get to know his mother better.
‘I finally understand my mum – and she’s taught me how to understand women better’
Mattha Busby
Living in Plymouth in a two-bedroom house with my mother and her pet Schnauzer at the age of 32 was not on my to-do list. Previously, I was on the other side of the world, in Vancouver, and had spent only six months in the UK since 2021 after extended sojourns not only in Canada but Mexico, Portugal, and Morocco. My work has taken me to Colombia and America over the past year, and I had my sights set on moving to Los Angeles next. Then, during an ayahuasca trip (which I embarked upon in the name of journalism), I had an unexpected realisation: I needed to move back in with my mum.
I mulled it over for about 24 hours after the psychedelic epiphany. My roommate’s chaotic friend had taken over our living room indefinitely, so getting out of there was appealing. Plus, mum was still convalescing from major surgery. So, I booked a flight back to the UK for early March, and moved into my mother’s spare room. I had never lived there before, having grown up in Bletchley, Milton Keynes, so it wasn’t exactly a nostalgic “coming home”, back to my old bedroom, but more of a fresh start. Approaching six months later, I’ve got no regrets. It might, in fact, be the best decision I’ve ever made.
