Luke Parkhurst, 34, left his well-paid job as a salesman in Houston, Texas, to move back to his mother’s house in Las Vegas, in search of a simpler and more fulfilling life.
Instead of the city bars and chasing instant gratification, the stay-at-home son finds household chores a welcome relief.
‘I do household chores in exchange for living under my mum’s roof,’ he told the Daily Mail. ‘It’s kind of my career these days.’
Parkhurst’s mother is an air hostess and ensures that bills and mortgages are paid. While many in their early 20s and 30s are moving back with parents due to high living costs, Parkhurst’s move was not forced. Although he once owned a home in Houston, it’s unclear if he still does.
Masculinity and Lifestyle Choices
Parkhurst believes masculinity used to be about hunting, fishing, and fixing things, not paying bills. He says women were often shocked by his lifestyle and described it as a ‘turn-off’, with some asking whether doing household chores affects his masculinity.
He feels these discussions have helped improve his dating life by filtering out materialistic people.
‘I don’t want someone wondering what my wall looks like or what car I drive,’ he said. ‘I don’t think it hinders me too much. I wear it on my sleeve—I don’t try to hide it.’
A Day in His New Life
Parkhurst’s daily routine in Las Vegas is very different. Instead of waking early for work, he starts his day at the gym between 7 am and 9 am, then shops at Costco, often buying steak five days a week, sometimes every day.
He also takes care of laundry, cleans the pool, and does the dishes. He sometimes drives his nieces or nephews to soccer.
Growing Trend of Young Adults Living at Home
A report from the Institute for Fiscal Studies shows that the proportion of 25- to 34-year-olds living with their parents has increased significantly in the past two decades.
Nearly 450,000 more young adults are living at home compared with 2006, especially men in their late 20s.
While many have returned home after declines in wealth or relationship breakups, Parkhurst simply felt unfulfilled by city life. He has exchanged his $190,000 (£143,484) salary for weekly allowances and access to his mother’s credit card.
His family teases him about living at home, but he remains confident he can return to a high-paying job if he chooses.
His Background and Reasons for Change
Raised in an agricultural family in Utah, Parkhurst moved to Las Vegas after working in sales in Houston. His parents divorced when he was young. With no money for college, he worked locally before relocating for his sales career, but city life did not bring him happiness.
‘I would catch myself going to bars in the middle of the day or all weekend and doing things I shouldn’t do for instant gratification, chasing materialistic things,’ he said. ‘There was nothing I liked doing other than going out, but the only reason I was going out was to numb myself from reality.’
He grew up fishing, riding horses, and spending time with family. After four years of travelling, working, and eating poorly, he reached a breaking point and moved back in with his mother. Initially, the idea was scary, but now it’s a source of fulfilment.
He might consider returning to a sales job, but never again to city life.
Originally published on IBTimes UK
