I bought my grandparents' house and lived next to my mom. When she decided to move, it was hard on both of us.

The author and her mom used to live next door to each other. Courtesy of the author My mom and I were next-door neighbors for 14 years — it changed everything. When she moved 60 miles away, we realized how much we'd taken it for granted. Our visits are less frequent now, but they feel more special somehow. Until recently, if you had mentioned multigenerational living to me, I wouldn't have assumed you were talking about my mom and me. After all, we haven't lived under the same roof for near...