Angela Philipps, Contributor

The thought of having your laundry done and meals prepared by your mother is just too comfortable to walk away from. I mean, why would anyone WANT to leave home? What is so wrong with being a part of the 'Failure to Launch' crew?

Well, a couple of reasons actually:

One is to break away from the dependency we have on our parents. According to some therapists, "We are seven years behind the baby boom generation in emotional maturity." My peer group tends to get married later on in life,if at all, and many of us choose not to have kids until well into our 30s. We have no reason to grow up so quickly anymore, because there is no one who is depending on us to do so.

Two is to have some semblance of single life! Your parents may well be liberal about such things, but it can be a real turn-off to go back to a man's house and realise that he resides with his folks! Don't you remember that scene in the movie Failure to Launch? Thirty-five year-old guy brings cute blonde back to his dwelling. Dad walks in on them while they're 'doing the dirty'. Girl is appalled by the fact that boy is still living with parents. It turns out that when he wants to break up with a lady, he reveals his little secret in this way so as to get them to end it with him! Immature and gutless to say the least, but c'est la vie!

Perhaps it's not such a deterrence to see a woman in this position. After all, traditionally, we remained in a house with our parents until we were wed. At which point, we moved directly into the quarters of our husband.

Is there a major flaw in becoming too cozy in this situation? You have your built-in family - your parents live downstairs or right across the hall. You love them, you have people to share your life with and you won't get lonely. However, what happens when they become old, sick and then leave this world long before you? Will you find yourself all alone, due to the fact that you never made an effort to create your future family?

classic case

A great friend of mine in his 40s is a classic case. However, there seriously is nothing wrong with him. He has a career and the soul of an angel, most women find him drop-dead gorgeous, and he's funny and intelligent. So why is it so hard for him to get on to the launch pad? Remember Matthew McConnaughey in Failure to Launch? Well, that's my PAL! I am not joking with you. I could sit here and analyse his situation, and many others', until I am blue in the face. But I won't because truly I understand.

When I came backto Jamaica, I moved in with my parents - straight back into my childhood home. I was coming from a place where I did everything for myself and all of a sudden I had free rent, great dinners, lots of love and pressed pants! Why on earth did I wait so long before returning, and why would I ever want to leave this perfectly blissful situation? I mean, what with expensive rental fees, store-bought processed foods, lonesome nights and creased culottes there really was no incentive to find my own place. Indeed, if you are able to get over the two hurdles aforementioned, what is so wrong with failing to launch?

angelaphilippsja@hotmail.com