"What Is It About 20-Somethings?": A Response

I am heartened to see the publicity being given to the topic of "our 20-somethings."  The most recent, and among the most widely visible, article came out today in the New York Times Magazine.  In  "What Is It About 20-Somethings?"  Robin Marantz Henig presents a comprehensive and well-researched piece which highlights Jeffrey Arnett's "emerging adulthood" stage of development.  She also raises some thoughtful questions about how parents and society might adapt to the changing lives and needs of our 18-30 year old sons and daughters.

Henig says, "We have come to accept the idea that environmental influences in the first three years of life have long-term consequences.....Is it time to place a similar emphasis...on enriching the cognitive environment of people in their 20's?"  I am not sure exactly what this would look like, but it is a very intriguing question.  What would my husband and I do to provide a fertile atmosphere for our kids at this stage (even though they both live many miles away from us)?  Would we ask different questions when we talk to them on the phone?  Would we present different opportunities?  Or fewer maybe?  Would we handle the financial questions differently?  Food for thought.

The second question I found myself asking was, "What are some of the ways our society can respond to the findings of studies such as Arnett's and the Network on Transitions to Adulthood?"  They are telling us a lot about what 20-somethings are thinking, what their hopes and values and challenges are.  Many in this age group have given to others as they have gone through this exploratory time.  My own daughter spent a year in Arizona doing volunteer work for low-income populations in the Tucson area.  Others have joined Americorps, CityYear, or the Peace Corps.  How can we do better at tapping the energy of this generation in a way that fills needs for other parts of our society?

Finally, I was left with a question which lives in the forefront of my work on a daily basis.  We all want to be understood.  Whether we are 25 or 55, we like to feel that our parents are able to understand some of the important parts of our lives.  How does this Times article help me to understand my children better?  Which parts are relevant to the experiences of our family?  And how can I use this to understand others?

Unfortunately when I read the comments posted on the blog connected to Henig's article, I notice that many of them were quite negative or sarcastic for one reason or another.  Yes, this is the price of publication.  But there is wisdom here, and it is my hope that when you read it you will find inspiration and some good ideas.

Please share your comments, ideas, questions and hopes...