Tag Archives: Delayed Development

Bethel University – Directions to Adulthood

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This fall, I am excited to be working with Bethel University to provide encouragement and resources to parents during Family Weekend – 2016.  I am thankful for the staff at Bethel University who realize that our world has changed, and therefore both emerging adults and their parents need to be prepared for the journey ahead into adulthood.

Here is the seminar description:

“Directions to Adulthood – Preparing Your Young Adult for the Journey Ahead” 

Blank Road SignWhy does it seem that today’s adolescents are taking longer to grow up? Are millennials selfish, delusional unicorns, or are there other factors affecting their development? This seminar will explore the causes and proposed solutions of delayed development while providing an understanding of emerging adulthood (18-25 age group). We will examine the biblical basis of adulthood, and how parents can support their children during this critical transition. Boyd believes this seminar will help you better understand your children, and encourage you during this new phase of parenting. This seminar is free, but pre-registration is required. Space is limited.

Here is a link to Bethel’s Event.

The goal of EA Resources is to equip parents and churches to understand Emerging Adults.  I hope that more Universities and Communities will follow their lead, and realize that “The Times They Are A-Changin'” (Bob Dylan).

Please contact me at gdavid@earesources.org if you would like me to present at your community.

David - Prof 2Dr. G. David Boyd is the Founder and Managing Director of EA Resources.  He is also the Founder of the EA Network, a group designed to share ministry theology, resources, and practical tips.

Is there more grace for child-like men than for child-like women?

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I recently came across an article that discussed how movies which display men who are delayed in accepting adult roles and behavior (Failure to Launch, Happy Gilmore, Knocked Up) are more accepted by audiences because their is more grace for men who delayed in their development than for women.  annie

Here are some interesting quotes from the article:

  • In each of those cases, the protagonist has been led astray from a traditional path to adulthood, but their resulting antics — drinking a lot, general laziness and immaturity — are played for laughs and rarely, if ever, become dilemmas worthy of audience sympathy.
  • “If you’re a female, then you should have your shit together and you should be figuring it out,” Anna Kendrick said, discussing the role. “With men it’s just like, ‘Oh, you know, he’s just still a frat boy at heart, and it’s no big deal.’”
  • Something is set up as ostensibly wrong with the woman-child, while the male version is explained away with the idea that “boys will be boys.
  • “I think the kind of outlet for the contemporary woman-child is that there doesn’t seem to be any exit or even desire to exit this kind of liminal state, that is both economic and in terms of identity and maturity,” said Clark. “Marriage doesn’t seem to be the out anymore.”

Here is the link to the article.

I believe that the author has a point.  I am not sure how this extra grace towards men (who won’t grow up) works out in our families, and our communities of faith.  Regardless, delayed development is not a laughing matter.

Here are some articles about delayed development.

David Boyd 1 (1)Dr. G. David Boyd is the Founder and Managing Director of EA Resources, a non-profit designed to equip parents and churches to minister to Emerging Adults.

 

 

Emerging Adults – In Defense of a New Human Life Phase

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Millennials have been called many names during their pursuit of adulthood including:  lazy, narcissistic, immature, and other words that I prefer not to type.  The purpose of this article is to explain why a new human life phase is beneficial to both Millennials and the rest of us.  Continue reading →

What’s Causing Our Millennials to fail becoming adults?

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Here is an article that does a good job addressing the economic reasons behind the delayed development of emerging adults.

However, there are many more reasons than simply economics that are affecting our adolescents’ development. In this article, I address the various causes of the delayed development of our adolescents.

Please note that moving out of your parents house, is not a sign of adulthood. At times in life, it might be a wiser decision to live with your parents due to your financial situation.  Rather than adulthood being defined by an economic indicator, our society is in need of better marks of adulthood.

Adulthood is defined by three tasks: discovering vocation, establishing autonomy, and developing community.

If you would like for me to come to your church, school, or organization to talk about the delayed development of adolescents, and what can be done, contact me at gdavid@earesources.org.

 

Causes of Delayed Development (Part 2)

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The delayed development of adolescents will a major impact upon the future of the United States.  Many researchers are proposing causes of this issue.  In Part 1, I examined the delay of marriage and parenting, educational patterns, and the isolation of adolescents from adults as possible causes of delayed development.  In Part 2, I will be looking at three other probable causes of the delayed development of adolescents. Continue reading →

Causes of Delayed Development (Part 1)

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There are many reasons that adolescents mature at different rates.  Some of these are within their control, while others are not.  The delayed development of adolescents is not simply due to a lack of effort among this generation.  Changes within our society have greatly influenced who they are, and what they will become.  In these posts, I want to give an overview of possible causes for the delayed development of adolescents including:  economic changes, parenting style, delay of marriage and parenting, changes in educational patterns, isolation from adults, and adolescent perceptions of adulthood.  Continue reading →