From social media to real life: inside the growing “trad son” trend where young men proudly live rent-free with their parents while embracing stay-at-home roles
In 2025, social media has found a new buzzword — and it’s sparking both curiosity and conversation: the “trad son.” Unlike the hustle culture that dominated the last decade, this new trend celebrates something entirely different — young men who have chosen to stay home with their parents, live rent-free, and take on domestic roles once stereotypically associated with stay-at-home spouses.
It’s a term born from a mix of humor, cultural commentary, and quiet rebellion. At first glance, the phrase “trad son” — short for “traditional son” — might sound like a joke, a meme born from TikTok satire. But scroll through social media, and it becomes clear: it’s not just a joke anymore.
Men like Shaavir Noorani, a 28-year-old TikTok creator, have brought the lifestyle into the spotlight with videos that blend comedy and self-awareness. “Come spend the day with me as a 28-year-old stay-at-home son,” one of his clips begins, showing his daily routine — waking up late, tidying the kitchen, and helping with family chores before relaxing with his parents. The videos are lighthearted, but they’ve opened up deeper conversations about shifting expectations, generational pressures, and what independence really means in today’s economy.
Trad sons are, in many ways, a reflection of modern realities. With housing costs skyrocketing and wages stagnating, the dream of early independence has become harder for many young adults to achieve. Instead of viewing this as failure, some men are reframing it — choosing to embrace family life and contribute in ways that aren’t purely financial. They cook, clean, run errands, or help care for aging parents, while often pursuing creative, remote, or freelance work on the side.
Social media has turned the lifestyle into a kind of cultural mirror. On TikTok, “trad son” videos range from funny to deeply sincere. Some are pure humor, poking fun at the contrast between traditional stay-at-home roles and modern masculinity. Others take on a more serious tone, showing men who genuinely find pride and purpose in helping their families. For many, it’s not about avoiding responsibility — it’s about redefining what it looks like.
Cultural commentators say the trend is partly a response to burnout and economic strain, but also to shifting family dynamics. The pandemic years blurred lines between independence and interdependence, and living with parents no longer carries the stigma it once did. The “trad son” identity, in that sense, has become a badge of realism — acknowledging that supporting family and being supported by family aren’t opposites.
For some parents, the idea is comforting rather than frustrating. They see their adult sons not as freeloaders but as partners in maintaining the household. For others, it’s an adjustment — especially in cultures that prize early financial independence. Yet across online discussions, one thing stands out: the honesty. These men aren’t hiding behind excuses; they’re openly acknowledging the trade-offs of adulthood in a challenging world.
The movement has also drawn comparisons to the rise of “trad wives,” women who embrace homemaking and traditional gender roles in a modern context. But the “trad son” trend feels different — less ideological, more situational. It’s less about returning to an old model of family and more about creating a new one that fits current times.
And while it’s easy to dismiss it as a passing internet fad, there’s something quietly powerful about it. The trad son movement captures a universal truth: that family, in whatever form it takes, remains a source of grounding in an unpredictable world. Whether out of necessity, choice, or both, these young men are finding ways to turn the idea of “staying home” into something meaningful.
In an era obsessed with constant productivity and independence, the trad son reminds us that interdependence — living, helping, and growing with family — can be just as valid a way of life.
