The Statistics Canada study says young adults took longer to “make key life transitions to adulthood” in 2001 than their counterparts were three decades earlier.
In recent years, both young men and women have delayed many transitions. For example, in 2001, half of all 22-year-olds were still in school. Only one in five had a partner (usually common-law), and one in 11 had children.
In 1971, three-quarters of young adults at the age of 22 had left school. Nearly half were married and one in four had children.
As well, in 2001, the time between transitions had increased, stretching the process from the late teens to the early 30s. Youth in 1971 packed more life transitions into the years from their late teens to mid-20s and fewer transitions into their early 30s.
Probably has something to do with my generation and younger having absolutely no concept of building wealth. Our parents were part of the "OMG CREDIT!!" phase so we naturally have an expectation that things can be bought whenever we want. This in turn leads to a "culture of entitlement" where we expect to be able to move out into our own condo or house, drive around a BMW and drink martini's at the trendy bar downtown every night. Any attempt to lead that lifestyle inevitably leads to financial ruin and a return to Mommy and Daddies safety.
I know a few people who are having issues getting their twenty something kid out the door and launched successfully, and it has everything to do with the kid's attitude.
Location: A simple man leading a complicated life....
Exp:
Quote:
Originally Posted by llama64
I know a few people who are having issues getting their twenty something kid out the door and launched successfully, and it has everything to do with the kid's attitude.
In other cases it's due to the parents spoiling their kids and giving them everything they wanted. And not teaching them how to work for things. It's something I see far to often in the workplace.
Well theres also something to be said for longer life expectancy and higher educational expectations I think. When I was 22 I was making like $13 an hour and scraping by in a dingy apartment with my college diploma job and two years work experience. There was no way in hell I could care for a family at that point of my life. Really even at my current age 31 I still don't have the resources to support any children and do it properly. But really I have to think that I should live another 50+ years so it's not like I feel rushed to have a family before I get too old.
__________________ "Some guys like old balls"
Patriots QB Tom Brady
Well theres also something to be said for longer life expectancy and higher educational expectations I think.
Bingo.
In this current market, it is incredibly difficult to be a fulltime student, while living on their own with a full-time job. Nowadays, a HS Diploma or GED is insufficient for a strong living wage. The requirement seems to be a minimum of one post-secondary degree. Not to mention people wishing to have multiple Bachelor degrees, Masters degrees, Doctorates, or Professional degrees like Law and Medicine which can stretch one's time in school into their late 20s and early 30s. School isn't exactly $500 a year like it was when my father went to post-secondary in the late 70s-early 80s... nor did it only rise with inflation. Undergrad alone is $6000 a year (exc. books), and graduate school is over $10000 a year. (Med school is closer to $15k).
The mentality is, if one has a good relationship with their parent/parents, contributes to the whole and respects their parents requirements, why bother wasting thousands of dollars a year to rent? Why not go to school, make some money on the side, and when they have graduated with a good job and a solid revenue stream, purchase a condo/townhome/house and go from there. The stigma of being in one's twenties and living with their parents doesn't really exist anymore.
There's a lot to be said about life expectancy too. People are choosing to work into their 60s and 70s out of choice moreso than ever before because most people are living into their 80s and 90s now. People seem to get married later (average of 28 or 29?) and have kids later (early 30s?). More time = Less rush.
Last edited by Thunderball; 09-18-2007 at 01:18 PM.
What percentage of people attended post-secondary or university 30 years ago? I didn't move out until i was done undergrad, it wasn't because i was lazy, it was because it was cheaper to live and home and "build wealth".
In this current market, it is incredibly difficult to be a fulltime student, while living on their own with a full-time job. Nowadays, a HS Diploma or GED is insufficient for a strong living wage. The requirement seems to be a minimum of one post-secondary degree. Not to mention people wishing to have multiple Bachelor degrees, Masters degrees, Doctorates, or Professional degrees like Law and Medicine which can stretch one's time in school into their late 20s and early 30s. School isn't exactly $500 a year like it was when my father went to post-secondary in the late 70s-early 80s... nor did it only rise with inflation. Undergrad alone is $6000 a year (exc. books), and graduate school is over $10000 a year. (Med school is closer to $15k).
The mentality is, if one has a good relationship with their parent/parents, contributes to the whole and respects their parents requirements, why bother wasting thousands of dollars a year to rent? Why not go to school, make some money on the side, and when they have graduated with a good job and a solid revenue stream, purchase a condo/townhome/house and go from there. The stigma of being in one's twenties and living with their parents doesn't really exist anymore.
There's a lot to be said about life expectancy too. People are choosing to work into their 60s and 70s out of choice moreso than ever before because most people are living into their 80s and 90s now. People seem to get married later (average of 28 or 29?) and have kids later (early 30s?). More time = Less rush.
Im not sure i agree with the above statement, there are many blue collar buddies of mine that make equal to if not more than someone with a university degree, especially now with everyone looking for competent trades and willing to pay for it.
In other cases it's due to the parents spoiling their kids and giving them everything they wanted. And not teaching them how to work for things. It's something I see far to often in the workplace.
That's basically the reason. But that situation seems to be so widespread that it's almost generational in scope...
Location: A simple man leading a complicated life....
Exp:
Quote:
Originally Posted by llama64
That's basically the reason. But that situation seems to be so widespread that it's almost generational in scope...
<puts grumpy old man hat on>
###. And in some cases when they get fired, momy and daddy is always there to support them. I saw enough of that attitude when I worked for Safeway. It was getting hard to find good part time help.
Im not sure i agree with the above statement, there are many blue collar buddies of mine that make equal to if not more than someone with a university degree, especially now with everyone looking for competent trades and willing to pay for it.
Im not sure i agree with the above statement, there are many blue collar buddies of mine that make equal to if not more than someone with a university degree, especially now with everyone looking for competent trades and willing to pay for it.
Yeah, but how old are you? Even trades people need about 4 years of schooling or on the job apprenticing to earn their journeyman ticket. Alberta does offer a lot of lucrative labour jobs, that can evolve into management type of thing. But that is pretty unique to Alberta which still represents only about 10% of the country. Also a lot of people in labour jobs who don't move up do eventually start looking for something else even if it pays lower. For most people....working as a labourer for 40 years isn't that appealing.
__________________ "Some guys like old balls"
Patriots QB Tom Brady
The mentality is, if one has a good relationship with their parent/parents, contributes to the whole and respects their parents requirements, why bother wasting thousands of dollars a year to rent? Why not go to school, make some money on the side, and when they have graduated with a good job and a solid revenue stream, purchase a condo/townhome/house and go from there. The stigma of being in one's twenties and living with their parents doesn't really exist anymore.
Exactly. This is the way I did it, where I went to university full-time, worked part time outside of school, and contributed financially and physically around the house on a regular basis. I couldn't fathom doing it any other way, especially with university workloads these days.
I finished uni in 2006 and now live in my own condo, but I'm thinking of selling it so that I can go live back home and save money for a trip. traveling is more important to me than having a condo is, and I'm lucky I could possibly go home and make that happen. My father HATES it, but I'm pretty sure my mother would like it... she gets rent money and free help around the house, haha.
And that whole stigma of 20-somethings living with their parents is so old school its ridiculous. I couldn't give two craps what people think if I lived at home in my 20's, as long as there was a purpose in living at home. Times have changed, and living at home until a later age is quickly becoming a more enticing option for a lot of young people these days.
That's basically the reason. But that situation seems to be so widespread that it's almost generational in scope...
<puts grumpy old man hat on>
And you probably got that hat from your dad, who had it passed down to him from his own father.
"Kids today don't want to work..." is definitely generational in scope -- every generation says it about the one coming along after them.
That being said, it is true now and was true then. Life was a hell of a lot easier for me than it was for my old man, and his grandkids will have it even better.
I would absolutely hate to live at home at my age (25), regardless of any financial advantages to doing so. My friends are the same way, so colour me a bit skeptical of these claims.
edit: I should add that I have lived at home during summers between University years, to make money to pay for school, rent, living expenses, etc for the rest of the year. I don't think there's anything wrong with that, considering how astronomically expensive school and living expenses are these days.
Quote:
And that whole stigma of 20-somethings living with their parents is so old school its ridiculous. I couldn't give two craps what people think if I lived at home in my 20's, as long as there was a purpose in living at home.
A stigma that exists for a reason. For the love of god, grow up. You're an adult.
Hurray for the end of the nuclear family. Far more efficient for people to live at home longer, and there are plenty of social benefits (albeit no the party kind) that go along with it as well.
Honestly, I'm not entirely opposed to the nuclear family, but it does always seem a little odd to me that people feel being away from their family is such an important thing. I think a lot of the stress placed upon independence in North America is just silly. "18 years old and out the door to do it by yourself!!" Why is that so good? Certainly people ought to contribute, but someone living with their family until such a time as they start their own is just fine by me. Works pretty well in lots of other places.
__________________
"If stupidity got us into this mess, then why can't it get us out?"
A stigma that exists for a reason. For the love of god, grow up. You're an adult.
My opinion, anyways.
You are totally entitled to your opinion, and I respect that.
However, you telling me to 'grow up' is amusing, considering you don't know me personally, financially, or know what my family does or what my lifestyle entails. Here's a hint - I'm in a career position, in a relationship, own my own condo, and have an opportunity to go travel for an extended period of time. That's the reality of the situation.
Get the old school mentality out of your head; these days, people are living longer at home because of changing lifestyle values and norms. Deal with it.
Seriously, though, I don't think it's "grumpy old man" to suggest that it might be a bit immature to want to live with your parents into your twenties just so that you can buy new toys and go on trips, etc. And, anyway, what are you going to tell the girl you bring over? Or, if you're in a relationship, wouldn't that be a bit... complicated?
Maybe I am being "old school" about it and it's actually not unreasonable - it just seems weird to me. Anyway, sorry for saying "grow up" - that was pretty rude.
Canadians taking longer to "grow up"
