Reaching Adulthood in the 21st Century

Adulthood.  Every teenager dreams of the day he/she turns 18 and will now be considered an adult by society. But what does that really mean for them? Our children are growing up in a world where reaching the "American Dream" is much more difficult, if not impossible, and they certainly are not reaching the goals of financial independence, home ownership, and a family of their own in the same time frame as their parents. Sociologists and psychologists have begun studying the reasons why children are not reaching these typical markers of adulthood in the same time frame. Dr. Jeffrey Arnett coined the term,  "emerging adults,"  to describe the time period from the late teens to mid-twenties when our young people are searching to find their way to adulthood through the many opportunities offered to that age group. Many of these emerging adults are depending on their parents for both emotional and financial assistance until they can truly be independent. I'm sure you've already realized the difficulty our emerging adults are facing trying to reach financial independence in today's world.