questions and answers

YOUNG ADULTHOOD

As you turn 26, you are entering the stage of early adulthood. You’re making your way in the world and continue to work toward establishing a career, being financially independent, and enhancing your social relationships. In a nutshell, you are creating your adult life! You are generally happy and eager to see what comes next for you.

You are confident graduate school is the right fit for you and your professional goals. A grad degree will help you further advance your career. You apply and keep your fingers crossed you get into the program you want!

You finally move out of your parents’ house! You move in with a coworker who is looking for a roommate. It is a bit of a stretch financially for you, but you couldn't pass up finding a place with low rent. It’s a small space, but it will be nice to be on your own (at least, on your own from your parents!).

When you least expect it, you meet someone pretty great! He has the qualities you were looking for in a partner. You’re not only attracted to each other, but you get along well and have a lot in common. Things are off to a promising start and you wonder if this could be “the one.”

YAHOO! You are accepted into an accelerated graduate program and begin the coursework. You’re glad you found a program that fits with your work schedule. You feel good about graduate studies and your career prospects ahead.

You now have your own health insurance. It’s an expense for you and, unfortunately, your employer doesn’t subsidize much of the premium. You decide to put the benefit to use by getting a routine physical. There have been no major changes in your overall health since your last well-visit, but the doctor counsels you on the importance of managing stress and maintaining healthy habits.

You need a new laptop because yours is on its last leg. You find a gently used one on an e-commerce site and click to purchase. It will be at your door in a matter of days. The convenience of online shopping can’t be beat!

Your local friend group, including Sarah and Michael, has been a constant source of companionship and fun. You’re there for each other to share in the joys and to offer support during rough patches. Of course, your best friend Alex is always there too, but “virtually” from out of state. The big news is that after graduate school, Alex lands a prestigious engineering job and is now living with someone. The job is going well and the relationship seems pretty serious!

Gwen hosts a family birthday party for your nephew, Ben. You bring Juan, and everyone gets along nicely. Even Gwen’s ex-partner joins in. He and Gwen split up a while ago and he hasn't been staying actively involved in Ben's life. Gwen and your nephew have been living with your parents and Jack. It’s been financially difficult for Gwen to support herself and Ben, but Ben is the light of her life. He likes to watch Jack programming on his computer. And Jack likes playing cards with Ben as there are clear (black and white) rules to winning and losing.

Well, it happens! You and Juan decide it’s time to take your relationship to the next level. You get engaged! Let the wedding planning begin!

Your parents are your typical parents. As you’ve navigated life, they’ve helped you talk through problems and supported your decisions along the way. It’s been a comfort to have their guidance.

Congratulations! After months of planning, you and Juan get married. You have a lovely wedding on a budget. You move in together and start the next phase of your relationship.

To celebrate the next phase of your relationship, Huda brings over a homemade meal of traditional Omani dishes that are typically cooked for special occasions. The three of you have a wonderful evening toasting to you and Juan’s commitment. You and Huda have kept in touch since you worked together. She’s been like a big sister to you. You value her perspective on life and the way she’s expanded your worldview.

On an extended family note, your cousin Nick is serving abroad in the military. He comes home for a visit and you’re happy to see him and catch up.

Just when you think everything is going smoothly, your brother Jack passes away. He had a seizure-related fatal injury. You and your family are devastated. You take some time off to be with them, attend the funeral services, and grieve. You try to focus on celebrating Jack’s life with family, but his loss is extremely hard to deal with.

Alex elopes and announces there’s a baby on the way! You’re disappointed you weren’t there for their special day, but are thrilled for how happy they are! This wonderful news helps you appreciate the joys of life, as you continue to mourn the loss of Jack. YIPPEE! Congratulations! It seemed like a long road, but you earn your graduate degree! Through networking in your grad program, you learn about a selective position in Health Sciences. You apply and are hired! It’s a higher-rank position than what you had and it offers better pay and full benefits! You are very happy!

You and Juan are expecting! Wow; a baby is on the way! You initially keep the news to yourselves but anticipate you will start telling family and friends once the pregnancy is a little further along!

With your interest in parenting piqued, you search online for information about the topic. One thing you learn is that new parents in some other countries, such as Spain, receive pay while on family (maternity/paternity) leave. In the United States, the Family Medical Leave Act, which only applies to companies with more than 25 employees, is 12 weeks of unpaid employment. Yikes, no pay for 3 months will not be ideal!

Congratulations! After a fairly typical pregnancy with all the usual physical, emotional, and financial ups and downs, you and Juan welcome a beautiful baby boy to the world!

Wow! Even with anticipating baby’s arrival, the transition to parenthood is an abrupt and startling change! It’s filled with joy and awe while also being overwhelming and exhausting. You’re sleep-deprived, emotional, and not even sure you are taking care of Christopher Omar correctly. Despite the challenges, looking at your beautiful baby evokes a pretty incredible feeling!

Gwen has been a single mother for years. She hasn’t had the easiest time balancing parenting and making ends meet, but she’s been a great parent and is a wealth of knowledge now that you are a parent. She provides practical advice and reassures you that you’ll learn as you go. You appreciate that she shares her experience, but also that she doesn’t tell you what to do!

Who knew a tiny person could need so much stuff!? You’re off again to the child superstore to stock up on supplies for Christopher Omar!

Oh no. As if you didn’t have enough on your plate with being a new parent, you get news from the vet that Roxy is terminally ill and the recommendation is to put your beloved dog to sleep. It’s a sad day for you and Juan, but you know it’s the most humane thing to do. You both go to the vet to say an emotional goodbye to Roxy.

And just like that, you are a family of four! About two years after Christopher Omar was born, you add a baby girl to your family. The lack of sleep is tough. However, you and Juan know what to expect this time around and feel more prepared for the responsibilities of taking care of a newborn. Of course, a toddler running around means even less rest for everyone!

You and Juan expand your social network to a set of new friends: parents of your children’s playmates. It’s easy to stay connected with them because you see them fairly regularly on trips to the park, library, and play group activities with your children.

You are getting ready to return to work from your family leave after Katherine. To get yourself in a professional frame of mind, you read online professional development resources. Several mention the importance of “soft skills,” such as communication and problem-solving, for today’s labor market. You decide it would be worthwhile to sign up for a professional development webinar entitled “Stimulating Your Soft Skills.”

Your mother introduces you to the term “helicopter parenting.” She said it’s when parents hover over their children and are over-involved in every move they make. She believes it’s more common in your generation than it was in hers. The conversation leaves you pondering whether or not you fit this description!

You and Juan have been talking for a while now about finding a new place to live. You feel like you’ve outgrown your current space. Between the two of you, your wish list includes: a house (as opposed to townhouse or apartment), more square footage, a garage, a yard, a good school system, a neighborhood nicer than your current one, and a diverse community. You start talking to a realtor!

Geez! Life is busy! With your work, your children’s school and extracurricular activities, and maintaining a household, on a typical day you rush from one thing to the next. In some ways, life has gotten easier since the children were infants and toddlers; in others, it’s just as (if not more) chaotic! The pace and full schedule of contemporary family life can be stressful.

Some of the bathrooms at your work are converted to gender neutral bathrooms as opposed to being assigned to male or female. This initiative is designed to accommodate gender nonconforming individuals, to make it more comfortable for them to use the restroom. You notice your employer is increasingly becoming more inclusive with their policies and initiatives.

You and Juan have made some good financial decisions, but there is room for improvement. Paying closer attention to spending and savings will help set you up for a stable and comfortable financial future. Alex visits for a weekend and a great time is had by all. You two even get some quality time alone without partners and children! It’s always fun to hang with your best friend!

The ups and downs of life. Your beloved grandma passes away. She had moved in with your parents a while back so they could take care of her as her health was declining. You are grateful you got to see her more often these last years of her life and that your children had the opportunity to have a relationship with her. You grieve her loss. At the same time, you celebrate her long life, appreciate the legacy she left behind, and let the memories of your times together bring you comfort.

Congratulations! You buy a house! You find a fixer-upper that meets some of the criteria on your wish list. The home purchasing process from start to finish is stressful, but you are thrilled to own your first home, even if it needs a little TLC! You can’t wait to move in and get your family settled in your new home. Most of your friends are in committed relationships and have their own children. You’ve been able to share your relationship and parenting journeys and be a source of comfort and support for each other. Sarah chose to stay child-free and enjoys her role as “Aunt Sarah” to your children. Coordinating schedules to see your friends has been challenging! Because of that, staying connected with them has been happening primarily through digital channels, but the in-person get togethers are always priceless when you can make them happen!

EDUCATION AND CAREER Young adults are embarking on establishing and building their career. You’ve had a successful professional journey so far. You earned a graduate degree in your field, which launched you to a solid job. Your expertise is deepening and you’ve been steadily advancing in your career. LOVE AND RELATIONSHIPS Your personal life saw substantial changes during early adulthood. You fell in love, got married, and had two delightful children. Like most young adults, you’ve had to find a balance between your professional and personal lives. The demands of life have caused some tension between you and your partner, yet you have no reason to believe that your relationship can’t weather the storm. On another note, you’ve experienced loss and have come to understand that death is an inevitable part of life. Thankfully, you have grown your social network and your friends have been a source of comfort as you deal with life’s ups and downs. HEALTH AND WELL-BEING You’ve experienced several events that tested your coping skills. You’ve always been strong in managing stress, and this helped you successfully handle the challenges life has thrown your way. As is common, you started this life stage in very good health. Due to your lifestyle choices, you have remained healthy. Continuing to eat right and stay active will allow your health to thrive as you continue to age. FINANCIAL PLANNING Young people become financially self-sufficient and have many expenses as they create their independent lives. You were no different! Practical financial planning certainly is challenging when money is tight, yet you took a responsible approach to spending and saving. Continuing to do so will put you on the right track for a strong financial future.