Give a man a fish...
"Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for life." * That was my immediate reaction to the headline of a recent Pew Research Center study: Majority of Americans Say Parents Are Doing Too Much for Their Young Adult Children.
The proverb reinforces a belief I’ve held for some time -- as parents, we need to empower our kids to face life confidently and independently. They need to be well-equipped with the values, tools, and social preparedness to take responsibility for their own lives. So much is written today about the negative influences of parenting -- helicopter parenting and snowplow parenting, where parents bulldoze over the obstacles their kids encounter. What if parents were able to provide guidance for their children to find meaningful work? A career that enabled them to live a fulfilling and self-sustaining life.
Below are some of the obstacles that get in the way of young adults finding meaningful work:
College career placement offices often have high student to counselor ratios.
Kids are often resistant to their parents' input on the job search process.
Parents may be ill-equipped to offer guidance on how to effectively launch an early career. They may not be current on today’s tools, techniques, and employer expectations. Further, they may unintentionally promote their own agenda (e.g., get the highest paying job, pursue a profession like law or medicine, etc.)
Many of the study’s findings support the importance of methodical, independent advising and coaching of young people in the early stages of their careers.
The Pew survey is based on U.S. Census data. Here are some key highlights that reflect what many of us already suspected:
The financial independence of young people is on the decline. In 2018, 24% of young adults were financially independent by age 22 or younger, compared with 32% in 1980.
Many young adults get some or a lot of financial assistance from their parents. Among adults ages 18 to 29, 45% say they received a lot or some financial help from their parents in the past 12 months. According to parents of young adults, these percentages may be even higher. About six-in-ten parents with children ages 18 to 29 (59%) say they have given their kids at least some financial help in the past year.
Young adults are remaining in the “nest” for longer periods of time. In 1980, 14% of men and 8% of women ages 25 to 29 lived in their parents’ home. Over the course of the last 40 years, these figure has increased to 27% of men and 17% percent of women in 2018.
Parents, if you want to do something good for your children, give them the tools to find their way in life, don’t simply fund their lifestyle. Engage the Danzger Group, a career coach/advisor, to empower them to find their own way to self-reliance.
Contact the Danzger Group or schedule an exploratory call today.
* The first use (1885) of the proverb in English print is attributed to British author Anne Isabella Thackeray Ritchie.