According to a Business Insider there are “7 ways life is harder for millennials than it was for their parents”*. These include:
1. Millennials are less financially stable than previous generations were.
2. Millennials are saddled with student debt — but a college education is more necessary than ever.
3. Millennial men are more likely to live at home with their parents than previous generations were.
4. Millennials are overwhelmed by the dating pool.
5. Millennials feel as if they have to be “always on” at work.
6. Millennials’ self-image erodes in the face of ever-present social media.
7. Millennials are shelling out more on childcare than previous generations were.
In this third installment, I want to continue to put a positive twist on the article and address how I see that millennials have opportunities previous generations never had.
Millennial men are more likely to live at home with their parents than previous generations were. There are two sides to this. On one hand, young men are showing wisdom in saving on the expenses of living at home and putting money aside for the future. I hope this is the case. On the other hand, men are not men but choosing to remain boys—not learning to live on there one (to cook, do laundry, to clean, to pay bills, etc.). The former is noble. The latter is childish. The latter is also enabled by the parents.
There is nothing wrong with an adult living for a time with his (or her) parents. I, in fact, moved back with my father and his wife for a time to get my finances in order. (During which time, I paid rent and live a rather stoic life in order to pay off bills. I also helped where I could around the house.) When an adult moves back home after college, it must be purposeful and with the intent of preparing a better future—it must be as an adult.
The man who remains at home and allows his mother to do his laundry, clean his room, etc. while he plays on his PS4 and spends his money on “toys” is not a man but an adult child. Parents who allow this do the man and society a disservice.
A man must learn to stand and care for himself—and, ultimately, others. He cannot do this when he is being cared for by others. At some time, the mother bird pushes you young from the nest. They either fly or fall.
The opportunity to remain at home for a time should be perceived as a responsibility. It is a time for the young man to master self-care and financial responsibility. It is a time to lay the foundation for a stable financial future. Remember, this is a time of great financial instability for young millennials. Such times call for self-control and prudence. What an opportunity to learn how to sacrifice and save—how to delay gratification.
The millennial’s parents, perhaps, had the opportunity to live loosely in their twenties and early thirties. They may have been able to afford that new car and a single apartment—maybe even bought a hip new condo, but look where that got them. It failed to teach a generation financial wisdom and to pass this ignorance on to their children. Millennials are learning a lesson that will better prepare the next generation.
If you are a millennial living at home with your parents, only you can judge the one who looks back at you in the mirror.
Be your best today; be better tomorrow.
Carpe momento.
* http://www.businessinsider.com/millennials-lives-compared-to-gen-x-baby-boomers-did-2018-3#millennials-are-shelling-out-more-on-childcare-than-previous-generations-were-7