We need to adult kids
No kidding, lots do not get the skills they need to grow up
IHEARD a radio interview the other day about ‘adulting’. Merriam-Webster defines it as “To behave like an adult, to do the things that adults regularly have to do”.
And you may have seen t-shirts with “I don’t want to adult today”.
It seems to have become a socially acceptable verb. American psychologist Rachel Weinstein started recognising that many young adults in their 20s lacked some basic life skills and were relying on the internet as their source of advice.
Their belief that “everyone seems to know this except me and I feel stupid” is causing them anxiety, loneliness and isolation, which is why she came up with the idea of The Adulting School in Portland, Maine that she co-founded with Katie Brunelle.
It’s not a school as such, more a set of resources in the key areas of DIY, work, money, community, relationships and wellness.
I grew up in a time when there was no internet and no easily accessible or searchable online content for anything apart from the trusty dictionary, encyclopedia and other books.
I also had the combined experience and wisdom of both parents, which was great for some topics and sadly lacking for others.
In fact I learned a lot by watching, asking and being given things to do and, depending on your age, you may be able to relate. Somehow I managed to find out or work it out with plenty of mistakes along the way to learn from.
Given how quickly the world changes and the many differences between now and 30–40 years ago in relation to what influences us, education and the changing social landscape, I’m not surprised that many young people now feel they don’t have the basic skills required for daily life.
Our families and friends are not always the best role models and much of mainstream education focuses on core subjects and academic ability and less on life skills.
Life can be complex and challenging for so many reasons and we all need to learn to take responsibility for ourselves, make independent decisions, establish healthy relationships and manage our finances.
Clearly something needs to change if some of our young people are struggling to cope with the basics.
Maybe it’s about reintroducing these skills into family routines and introducing some key principles back into education to help build more confidence and resilience.
I also had the combined experience and wisdom of both parents, which was great for some topics and sadly lacking for others.