What Is a Trad Son? Meet the Young Men Choosing to Stay At Home and Live Rent-Free — While Their Parents Cover the Costs

In 2025, a new cultural phenomenon is gaining traction on social media: the “trad son.”

This trend involves young men who choose to live with their parents, often rent-free, and take on domestic responsibilities typically associated with stay-at-home partners.

One notable example is Luke Parkhurst from Las Vegas. After quitting his high-paying door-to-door sales job, Parkhurst moved back in with his mother, Patty. He now spends his days managing household chores — grocery shopping, cooking, cleaning and routine home maintenance — while Patty works as a flight attendant. Parkhurst describes this arrangement as his “dream job,” and Patty has no objections.

“He’s my baby,” she told the New York Post in October 2025, further explaining that she doesn’t mind covering all of their bills and household expenses. “I love taking care of people — and he has been really helpful [around the house]. I call him my hub-son.”

Here’s everything to know about the term “trad son” and how it became popular online.

What is a trad son?

A “trad son” is a term that has emerged from social media to describe a young man — usually in his 20s or 30s — who lives at home with his parents, often without working full-time or contributing financially, while embracing a domestic lifestyle.

Unlike traditional expectations of adulthood, trad sons — like the Leigh brothers on TikTok — prioritize comfort, convenience and household responsibilities.

Brendan Liaw brought the trend into the national spotlight with his appearance on Jeopardy! in May 2025. Host Ken Jennings introduced Liaw, who has a master’s degree in political science, as a “stay-at-home son,” to which he responded, “It’s a pretty good gig, but I’m worried I’m going to be called a loiterer at some point.”

However, Liaw was never fully committed to being a trad son; he just thought the title sounded better than being unemployed, per a subsequent interview with ABC News Live. He has since enrolled in law school at the University of British Columbia.

“I really threw it out there as a little joke; I don’t want to be permanently associated with the face of unemployment forever,” he told Vanity Fair in October 2025. “But I think it’s fun that we get to talk about what it’s like to be a young man navigating the labor market right now.”

The trend has gained traction on platforms like TikTok and Reddit, where videos and memes either celebrate or mock the lifestyle. Supporters of the trend argue that this lifestyle challenges outdated gender norms, while critics question its implications for personal growth. Fox News’ Laura Ingraham called them “men in decline,” per Vanity Fair.

“There’s a lot of unrest in men in their 20s and 30s today. There’s a lot of insecurity and instability. Most young people haven’t truly found themselves yet,” family therapist Kathryn Smerling told the New York Post. “For some, it’s comforting to be at home. They feel safe and secure with their parents in a very conflictual world.”

Are trad sons related to tradwives?

Yes, the concepts are related, but they represent very different lifestyles.

The “tradwife” trend celebrates women who embrace domestic roles — often staying at home to raise children, run the household and support a working husband. Some see this as a deliberate rejection of career-driven pressures, while others believe it is a return to historical gender norms.

The “trad son” trend is, in some ways, a male counterpart — but with a twist.

Unlike tradwives, trad sons do not support or manage a household for a partner; instead, they live with their parents rent-free and focus on domestic tasks within the family home.

Who are some famous trad sons?

Several men have gained attention for embracing the “trad son” lifestyle, including Parkhurst. After leaving a high-pressure sales job, he returned to his mother’s home, where he spends his days cooking, cleaning and managing the household.

“This has been my dream job since I was a little kid,” he told the New York Post. “My mom is at work right now. She covers everything, and I stay home.”

However, he’s keenly aware that his “stay-at-home son” title has the potential to negatively impact his dating life.

“If I ever want to get into a relationship, I know I can’t tell a woman, ‘By the way, I have a roommate, and it’s my mom,’ ” he admitted.

Meanwhile, in Chicago, Abdullah Abbasi has leveraged his trad son lifestyle into a business. When he’s not driving his dad to meetings or his sister to appointments, he’s pouring his efforts into his budding clothing line, Stay At Home Sons, which features the tagline, “Doing nothing is hard.”

“The clothes resonate with a lot of people,” Abdullah told the New York Post. “It’s all about bringing [trad-sons] together through fashion.”

He continued, “I have friends who work 80 hours in order to make big money and enjoy their independence. But this is the preferred route for me. This lifestyle is a luxury.”