I can't chime in as a parent, but I can chime in as an adult child who had to return home for a while. After I lost everything during hurricane katrina, I had to return home and live with my parents. My mom had a bad injury that left her unable to work. I felt like such a burden. All I could do was help physically manage the household until I got work. It took over a year before I got back on my feet but I did everything I could to make things pleasant for my parents. I cooked, cleaned, and after I began working I contributed to the household expenses while still saving for my move.

I think when adult children get into a pickle, we still have to take responsibility for things--it's not a free ride because our parents are helping us.