One of the greatest problems we
face as a growing country is immaturity in our generations. Growth can not
happen if we ourselves do not develop our minds and bodies. On the same note,
parents need to start teaching their child at a young age to expect the demands
of real work. This is how we can prepare the next generation for life and
prevent a generation of lazy _______ (enter appropriate word here).
The argument in the article, "How to Raise an American Adult", makes us wonder... what does
'adulting' really qualify? It has now become a trend to call engaging in adult
behaviors 'adulting' as if one was detached from that role. But what we are
seeing a lot of today is the never ending stage of adolescence. Early 20's
adults are showing less difference from a ten year old than they were a few
years ago. This pointed out that more people ages 18-34 are more likely to
continue living with their parents instead of with a spouse or getting their
own living space. Finding your own place is a big part of the responsibilities
you will need to commit to, but at the same time it is partially the parents
fault. 1) They continue to let their now grown up child live there and 2) they
don't seem to push them to do more with their lives. Yes, there are
circumstances that an young adult lives with their parents and it is perfectly
fine. But one thing my parents made clear with me (and especially my siblings);
"You cannot live here past 18 if you are not doing something with your
life, we won't support you if you are being lazy and not trying."
"Too many of our children
simply don’t know what an adult is anymore—or how to become one. Perhaps more problematic,
older generations have forgotten that we need to teach them."
-Ben Sasse
Many parents will set up ways to
have their child flourish. What I mean by that is they give them chores, teach
them how to change a flat tire, or even put them in charge of making something.
Because the fact of the matter is, people are going into college and they
sometimes don't even know how to do laundry or wash dishes. How are adults
setting the way for the next generation? By handing them a phone and saying,
"go wild."
Even here in Yuba City, our
schooling systems do not teach us how to be prepared for a life after high
school. All they care about is getting into college but not teaching us other
important parts of life. My college counselor, Colleen Lamon, says that we are
some of the most immature kids because we do not know how to handle adult
responsibilities. And not immature as in acting weird; immature as in we aren't
getting the hang of things. Not once have I been in a class that teaches
about taxes or how to balance a checkbook or things that we will inevitably
have to know one way or the other. When I started my job, I had to fill out a
W-4 form and I had no idea what to do. But when I recently filled it out again
for a new job I knew what I was doing. Little things like that. I didn't have
to call my parents to ask what to do and it felt satisfying.
I know that for me, if I was left
with a task and little instruction on what to do, I would be very worried. I
ask a lot of questions, I want to make sure I'm doing _____ right. But I would
have to say that sometimes we need to just figure it out on our own, that's how
we grow, by making a way for ourselves and connecting with other people for
economic, mental, and physical growth.
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