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　　Ann，a mother of 3 children, is a warm-hearted social worker and she has done a lot to help people 　　1　　．The family's dinner conversation often turns to local poor families, and she 　　2　　 tries her best to seek help for them．This year, Ann 　　3　　 that Santa Claus would make a special 　　4　　 to a young unemployed mother named Ashley, who was 　　5　　 two sons by herself．

　　One Sunday morning, the family were joyfully having breakfast 　　6　　 the phone rang, saying that the aid she had requested for Ashley had 　　7　　．No Santa Claus, no presents, nothing．On hearing the news, Ann noticed the 　　8　　 disappear from her children's faces．Kinzie, the youngest one, 　　9　　 down from her chair and ran out of the kitchen room．In a matter of 　　10　　 , she returned carrying her piggy bank and began to 　　11　　 the coins over and over again, ＄3.30 in total．“Mom,” she shook her head 　　12　　 , “I know it's not much．But maybe this will buy a 　　13　　 for the children．” Then suddenly everyone was reaching into their pockets and 　　14　　 their purses．Immediately the money-coins and bills 　　15　　 on the table．On Christmas Eve, Ann as well as Kinzie drove to Ashley's house．After Ann wished the 　　16　　 woman a merry Christmas, she began to unload the gifts from the car, 　　17　　 them to Ashley one by one and told her the whole story．

　　Ashley was moved to tears 　　18　　 the words：Kinzie opened not only her piggy bank but also her 　　19　　 , and my children as well as I myself would be able to do something 　　20　　 for someone else in need．

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　　“There is a senseless idea that children, grow up and leave home when they are 18, and the troth is far from that,” says sociologist Lary Bumpass of the University of Wisconsin．Today, unexpected numbers of young adults are living with their parents．“There is a major shift in the middle class,” declares sociologist Allasan Schnailberg of Northwestern University, whose son, 19, moved back in after an absence of eight months．

　　Analysts cite a variety of reasons for this remm to the nest．The marriage age is rising, a condition that makes home and its pleasantness particularly attractive to young people．A high divorce rate and a declining remarriage rate are sending economically pressed and emotionally hurt survivors back to parental shelters．For some, the expense of an away-from-home college education has become so excessively great that many students now attend local schools．Even after graduation, young people find their wings cut by skyrocketing housing costs．

　　Living at home, says Knighton, a school teacher, continues to give her security and moral support．Her mother agreed, “It’s ridiculous for the kids to pay all that money for rent．It makes sense for kids to stay at home．” But sharing the family home requires adjustments for all．There are the hassles over bathrooms, telephones and privacy．Some families, however, manage the delicate(微妙的)balancing act．But for others, it proves too difficult．Michelle Del Turco, 24, has been home three times and left three times．“What I considered a social drink, my dad considered an alcohol problem,” she explains．“He never liked anyone I dated, so I either had to hide away or meet them at friends’ houses．”

　　Just how long should adult children live with their parents before moving on?Most psychologists feel lengthy homecomings are a mistake．Children, struggling to establish separate identities, can end up with “a sense of inadequacy, defeat and failure．” And again parents, who should be enjoying some financial and personal freedom, find themselves stuck with responsibilities．Many agree that brief visits, however, can work beneficially．

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