Failure to Launch: Why are emerging adults not emerging as adults?
You’ve probably heard the reports over the last couple years that we’re seeing adolescence extend into people’s late 20’s. Some have called this phenomenon the “failure to launch.” This is an issue of growing concern for two major reasons: What does it mean for our country as the Baby Boomers are leaving the workforce in mass over the next 10-15 years and the largest generation in US history, the Millennials, are not entering into the work force as responsible, competent adults.
Second, this is a concern simply for the young people themselves. Has our culture created structures that, rather than developing our youth into successful adults, are instead hindering them so that it is taking nearly half their lives to finally grow up?
Here are two good articles on this issue from the New York Times and Christian Post on this issue that are worth the read.
For those of us in youth ministry, this concerns us on at least two fronts:
- What does it mean as we recruit and coach twenty-something volunteers and young youth pastors who are still trying to find out their own identity, gifts and calling?
- What do we need to be doing in differently as we work with young people and parents in order to help young people emerge into adulthood as true adults?
One of the books I’ve read this past month is Generation iY by Tim Elmore, president of Growing Leaders. Tim is greatly concerned about this issue and provides some very insightful and compelling thoughts as well as suggesting several practical shifts parents, youth workers and educators need to take in order to help young people truly emerge into competent adults as they step out of high school rather than once they’ve left graduate school or moved back in with mom and dad.
I’m happy to share my notes with you from the book which will be available in a couple weeks. Simply request them at reachstudents@efca.org.
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