Talk To Me: My adult son has reverted to being a teenager since moving back home 

Psychologist Caroline Martin is here to answer your questions on whatever issues you are dealing with in life, from work pressure and stress to loneliness and grief

I’m fed up but I don’t want to have a row as he’s under a lot of pressure at work.

My 28-year-old son recently returned home to live with us. He is saving for a mortgage, and we want to support him. But though I told him he’d have to look after himself, he’s back to his old teenage ways, leaving his clothes on the bathroom floor and dirty dishes in the sink. I’m fed up but I don’t want to have a row as he’s under a lot of pressure at work.

At 28 your son’s prefrontal cortex has only just matured. This is the last part of our brain to develop and it is critical in managing stress, intense emotions and motivation. As our prefrontal cortex develops we may continue to have difficulty balancing short-term rewards with long-term gains and predicting possible consequences of our behaviour.