“We have plenty of children to go around, God knows, and just like with Doritos, we can always make more. The true scarcity we face is practicing adults.”
(Michael Chabon)

I disagree with Whitney Houston; I don’t believe the children are our future. I believe new adults are the real hope for the future. Unfortunately, there are a number of factors seeming to extend childhood, and delay true adulthood, for years. For instance, we’ve become so scared of our kids making mistakes we aren’t teaching them how to make good decisions (and learn from the bad ones).

One prominent researcher says we are witnessing the discovery of a new life phase, that of the “emerging adult.” After adolescence, this guy says, our kids will not become young adults when they turn 20. No, they will then become emerging adults. They won’t become “young adults” until the ripe old age of 30. Maybe then, after their brains have been fully developed for five years, we can expect our kids to make more mature decisions.

I guess none of us should be too terribly surprised by any of this. After all, we’ve all been crying out for a while now that 50 is the new 40…why shouldn’t 30 be the new 20?

Here’s why: Protecting our kids from the responsibility of making choices, until their brains fully develop around the age of 25, neglects how our brains develop in the first place.

By making choices.

Know a “young” or “emerging” adult you’d love to help on their journey toward adulthood? Our newest book, Choose Your Own Adulthood, makes the perfect gift!

Peace begins with pause,