references to video blog post By Lisa Cropp

Here is my reference to my video blog:  Pickhardt, C PhD.  Boomerang Kids.  Sourcebooks:  Illinois, USA. c2011. 

Video Post by Lisa Cropp

It is challenging living with a roommate.  The following video explains some obstacles roommates face and solutions on how to deal with conflicts.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0Gw1O2Moik

A Lesson Learned

Hey guys here's a quick video I posted explaining a lesson I learned in my transition to adulthood...enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuNmVAbDSNc&feature=youtu.be

Chase

Transitioning to Adulthood: How to Make it Positive!

Video: Transitioning to Adulthood: How to Make it Positive!

By Shirley Whitesel

I feel that through the effort of both parents and young adults this difficult period in the family lifecycle can go a lot smoother.  I offer some suggestions for families to try during this time.

I hope that you find this information helpful!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4uO5ffWbDY

My References:

—Burt, K. B., & Paysnick, A. A. (2012). Resilience in the transition to adulthood. Development and Psychopathology, 24(02), 493-505.

—Kerig, P., Schulz, M., & Hauser, S., Adolescence and Beyond: Family Processes and Development c2012 New York: Oxford University Press, USA

—Scabini, E., Marta, E., Lanz. M., (2006) : The Transition to Adulthood and Family Relations : An Intergenerational Perspective.  Psychology Press, New York, NY

Book Review: Rights of Passage by Rebecca (blog post #4)

Rights of Passage: Social change and the Transition from Youth to Adulthood

by: Sarah Irwin

For a social research book, I thought Irwin (1995) did a great job of gathering the research and disseminating the information that she had to work with. 

The book's primary purpose was "to break with the boundaries that conventionally delimit discussion of this life course period, and offers an analysis that treats it as an integral aspect of more general social arrangements" (p. 1). In other words, Irwin (1995) wanted to create a new way to think and talk about the transition from youth to adulthood in a different way than it has been approached before. Especially because of the changes in young adults' experience in employment, marriage, independence, etc. are different compared to about 20 years ago (p. 4), many issues come in the ability of younger Americans to become independent. 

Irwin (1995) addresses all of these issues in her book. Those "issues" discussed include 

• economic changes that effect employment among young adults, which, in turn, effects independence (Irwin, 1995, p. 12)
• observations and changes in milestones of young adults (i.e. when marriage occurs and having a first child). (Irwin, 1995, p. 13).
• gender relation differences in the current century. (i.e. women are working more/ratios are balancing out; earning power is almost equal, and also responsibility balance) (Irwin, 1995, p. 14)
• class differences in family creation, and what age is "ideal" for young adults—Irwin (1995) considers consuming power of different classes that also shapes when young adults marry and have children. (p. 15)
• differences in when an individual becomes independent compared to past generations. Which is then linked to structural issues in the larger scale of things in America—because there are more dependents, that means that there are less earners that are paying into social security regularly. (Irwin, 1995, p. 15-16)

Each issue is a chapter in Irwin’s (1995) book, of which each is an important issue, because she poignantly addresses the issues in the structure of America since the recession and differences between generations that aids in understanding the “us” and “them” mentality when you are thinking about parents, counselors and student. Irwin (1995) also frames reasonable expectations for all to understand that its not your 20 year-old’s fault that he or she is not out of the house yet, but probably means that things are going to take a little bit longer for him or her to get established.

The researches that Irwin (1995) reviews are pertinent to the times now: Although the research she pulls from are from the 1970’s to 1990’s, she conducting a cross sectional study (cross-sectional research is a research method that means you are researching multiple age groups or generations at once), so Irwin (1995) is using relevant research to her goal in crossing generational boundaries to explore differences in the transition to adulthood.

Although Irwin’s (1995) writing is a little more technical, I think that, with some processing, and rereading, her books would be a good read for parents and counselors to consider. Especially to read more directly from research about the generational differences instead of what culture has deemed as fact.

Irwin, S. (1995). Rights Of Passage: social change and the transition from youth to adulthood. Bristol, Pa: : UCL Press.

To answer Cheryl's question... By Rebecca Jenn

Q: Do you think it is more difficult to transition to adulthood now than in the past? Why or why not? ~Cheryl

A: Thank you for this question Cheryl! It was very exciting for me to see it, not only as a transitioning adult, but also in consideration of everything that we have been writing about, this brings up an interesting issue! 

From my book review on Irwin's (2005) book, Rights of Passage, one of the hardest areas that transitioning adults have been hit with is the economy. Because of the economic downturns in America, many children are staying at home longer because they cannot find a career, well-paying job in order to have full independence. The National Center for Education Statistics (2011) also agrees with Irwin, that American young adults, ages 25-29 had an 11% unemployment rate; which is slightly better than the 19% that 16-24 year olds were suffering in 2010 (p. vii). However, with a college education, one was more likely to have a median income of $33,000 compared to $18,000 for those who did not complete high school. 

With this statistic, the issue of higher education also comes up. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the percentage of "some college" attending individuals was 36% in 2010 (2011). the question is, then, does college delay the transition into adulthood? As mentioned above, many more students that have a college degree are more likely to be involved than those that do not have a high school diploma. 89% could be delayed because of unemployment.  

All this to say, the transition to adulthood is becoming more difficult and more arduous but not impossible. College seems to slow things down a bit more, and the economic down turn has either meant that young adults are becoming independent more quickly or they are taking their time to graduate. With my experience, my parents have allowed me to be dependent on them for my entire college career: I didn't have to pay a phone bill, car insurance, or room and board. However, when I graduate from college all of that is going to change. On the other hand, one of my roommates has had to pay much of her way through college, pay her own bills for her car, phone, room and board. Her family situation resulted in her almost immediate independence once she moved to college. 

So I think it just depends on the way parents are available--emotionally, and financially. I would say that the transition to adulthood has been easy for me, but for my roommate, a little more challenging. So, on a case by case basis, the transition into adulthood could either be challenging or not. 

Resources:

Aud, S.,. KewalRamani, A., and rohlich, L. (2011). America’s Youth: Transitions to Adulthood . Washington, D:C: U.S. Government Printing Office. 

Irwin, S. (1995). Rights Of Passage: social change and the transition from youth to adulthood. Bristol, Pa: : UCL Press.

Video: Teen Brain Development in the Transition to Adulthood

http://www.authorstream.com/Presentation/rebeccajenn-1757549-teen-brain-development-transition-adulthood/

This is my power point presentation about teen brain development in the transition to adulthood that focuses on the cognitive development of the teen. Especially in how they are achieving higher functioning in their decision making processes, but still seek social acceptance and emotional satisfaction so they are more likely to act impulsively. I hope this video will help you out in understanding the teenage mind and thus be able to help them in a more constructive way.

~Rebecca Jenn

Sources:

Bailey, Regina. (2013). Limbic System. About.com. Retrieved March 23, 2013 from http://biology.about.com/od/anatomy/a/aa042205a.ht m

Parker, Steve. (2007). The Human Body Book. (p. 70). New York, NY: DK.

Steinberg, Laurence. (2005). Cognitive and affective development in adolescence.. TRENDS in cognitive sciences. 9 (2), 69-74.

Edit: 4.3.13
Here's another great resource about the teen brain from PBS. 

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/teenbrain/

Recommended Blog by Lisa Cropp

This blog meets the needs of our audience in a number of ways. First, the blog talks about how it is committed to supporting real positive change in the lives of individuals and families with support needs, including accessing education, exploring potential employment opportunities, developing a social active life, and developing relationships.  The blog also talks about how C-change will work with you, regardless of age and personal circumstances.  Second, this blog offers help in specific areas, such as, employment opportunities, developing an active social life, accessing education, and managing financial matters.  This blog also helps young adults maintain health and well being.  Third, there are success stories/testimonials from people who have turned to this blog for help.  Fourth, C-change designs programs around the needs and outcomes of the people they work for, with the person/people they work for being in charge of their own lives.  In other words, C-change is constantly listening and learning from the people they work for in order to find the resources that will help them get the life they want.  I like how C-change organizes planning days at least once a year and a follow up session no more than six months later to ensure things (the person’s goals and aspirations) are on track.  Planning days encourage all people who know and care about a person to come together to share ideas about what they would like to do in the year ahead.  Another way the blog meets the needs of our audience is by sharing news (upcoming and past events) and different views from various people involved in the organization.  The blog offers website links for children and young people, dating, mental health, families, and addiction.  You see, the blog is targeting challenges (employment, education, social life, financial matters) that young people face when transitioning into adulthood.

The blog stresses how C-change offers guidance, assistance, and support, but most importantly, C-change points people in the right direction in order to help people find their place in society.  Research agrees that offering advice when needed and supporting the decisions of young people is more effective than telling young people what and how to do things.  C-change expresses thier views on entering the work force as a young adult, which is, it’s not just about finding a job, it’s about finding yourself in the right type of job.  Thus, young people need to sell themselves by showing employers their qualities, strengths, and capacities that define who you are in order to land the job which is suitable for you.

The quality of application in the blog posts were excellent in that they explained, in detail, how C-change helps people and what C-change does.  The blog also highlighted important points in bold lettering.  All the blog web links, history, progressive stories, newsletters, and the C-change approach were directly related and appropriate for the blog topic (transitioning to adulthood).  The quality of writing was very good and the language used in the blog was understandable and flowed together nicely.  I found very few grammatical errors and the words were used in a way that really enhanced what the C-change program is all about.  I liked how the writers made the site user-friendly by adding videos of real people’s success stories and using various drawings to illustrate the main points of the blog.  For me, the best part of the blog was that the writer’s were speaking to their audience, not at them.  I would definitely recommend this blog because of its easy navigation, resources, and useful information.   

http://www.c-change.org.uk/

Pickhardt, C PhD.  Boomerang Kids.  Sourcebooks, Inc:  Illinois.  c2011.

Community Paper

by Shirley

Parenting is Important

If you raise your children to feel that they can accomplish any

goal or task they decide upon, you will have succeeded as a parent and you

will have given your children the greatest of all blessings.

Brian Tracy

We often hear fathers and mothers state that they wished that their children had arrived with a set of instructions.  If they had, these parents state that they would have been much better parents to them. Children are born with a wide variety of temperaments, energy levels and personalities.  We have all heard parents commenting  that their child has above average test scores because of their wonderful parenting skills, only to find  that once they became teenagers it was almost impossible to “make them do” anything that they didn’t want to do.  While many agree that reading, talking, spending time with and setting an example for your children are all extremely important, it is also known that each person and child has their own free will and this is something that is difficult to change.

According to Schmitt-Rodermund, there are two different sources that fuel a child’s development.  One is the characteristics a child is born with, which includes personality and temperament and the other source is the contextual input or those characteristics that are encouraged and reinforced by their parents.  This includes helping a child develop interests, provide opportunities, support and encouragement so that the child can gain confidence and become competent (Schmitt-Rodermund, 2003).  Schmitt-Rodermund feels that parents can encourage this confidence by providing support and rules that create autonomy, in other words becoming what Baumrind refers to as an authoritative parenting (Schmitt-Rodermund, 2003, Baumrind, 1991).  Baumrind’s definition of an authoritative parent is one that is warm and supportive.   Authoritative parents are responsive to their children, willing to listen, they are assertive, but not intrusive and restrictive. Their disciplinary methods are supportive, rather than punitive (Baumrind, 1991).

“The more people have studied different methods of bringing up children

The more they have come to the conclusion that what good mothers and fathers

Instinctively feel like doing for their babies is the best after all”

(Benjamin Spock 1903-1998).

If a parent instinctively knows what to do then why are they always looking for the best way to parent? The conclusion in current research states that there are many factors that determine successful parenting. 

Bornstein concluded that, “Parents have the job of absorbing and understanding novel, complex, and rapidly changing, uncertain information.  At the same time they are called on to parent consistently, appropriately, and effectively.  In other words, what parents need to know about parenting, children, and childhood is complicated and has real-life consequences every day” (Bornstein, et. al., 2010, pg. 1687).  They went on to state that intuition and common sense were not enough to make a good parent.  Too often we as a society follow traditions, wives-tails, memories, and misguided information in raising our children.  What parents really need is solid, practical, reliable, ‘evidence-based’ knowledge, with a sound understanding of why and how children develop as they do (Bornstein, et. al., 2010).  

We know that parenting style and engagement do affect the outcomes in their children. According to Odgers, Caspi, Russell, Sampson, Arseneault, & Moffitt, parental warm, monitoring and support can mediate some of the negative effects of life (Odgers, Caspi, Russell, Sampson, Arseneault, & Moffitt, 2012).  Many parents are still left to ask themselves ‘Am I mom or dad enough?’   We all will make plenty of mistakes in our parenting, even though we are trying to do our best.  We can strive to be our children’s greatest fan, strongest advocate and most honest critic.  Perhaps the greatest gift that one can give their children is their love and time.  By doing this the children will know that they are important and valued.  They are our greatest gift and they are truly prized!

References

Bornstein, M. H., Hahn, C.-S., & Haynes, O. M. (2011). Maternal personality, parenting cognitions, and parenting practices. Developmental Psychology, 47(3), 658-675. doi: 10.1037/a0023181

Peterson, B. E. (2006). Generativity and Successful Parenting: An Analysis of Young Adult Outcomes. Journal of Personality, 74(3), 847-870. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-6494.2006.00394.x

Odgers, C. L., Caspi, A., Russell, M. A., Sampson, R. J., Arseneault, L., & Moffitt, T. E. (2012). Supportive parenting mediates neighborhood socioeconomic disparities in children's antisocial behavior from ages 5 to 12. Development and Psychopathology, 24(Special Issue 03), 705-721.

Schmitt-Rodermund, E. (2004). Pathways to successful entrepreneurship: Parenting, personality, early entrepreneurial competence, and interests. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 65(3), 498-518. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2003.10.007

Community Paper: Parenting Matters

Parenting today has become extremely difficult given the many circumstances of our fast pace world.  While the challenges continue to grow greater and greater, the importance of parenting is still the same. The way we parent our children shapes our future.  Our future is all we have now, hence the importance of raising our children in the best possible manner.  The style in which we parent our child can have a huge impact on them.

Researchers have narrowed down the parenting styles to three types.  They are authoritarian, permissive and authoritative.  Each has a unique approach to their children and each have impacts that are quite consistent across the board.  Let's take a look at each briefly.

Authoritarian parenting style is low on emotional warmth and nurturing but high in parental direction and control. (Lamanna, 263)  These typically are the parents who have high expectations of them being in charge.  They are more likely to use harsh punishments and to use control.  This parenting style has been associated with a child’s decreased sense of personal effectiveness or mastery over a situation, even among children as young as four.  (Lamanna, 263)  These parents are common and the one's you may have grown up with watching your friends parents.  They are adamant about the rules and feel that the more control they have of their child the more in control they are of how they will turn out.  This has proven to be a false notion.

Permissive parenting style involves little parental guidance.  Although low on parental direction or control, permissive parenting may be high on emotional nurturing.  (Lamanna, 264)  The children of permissive parents are often known as the "spoiled child."  This parenting style is known at times for their neglect of the child because of their lack of direction.  There are high numbers of depression for these children and otherwise poor mental health.  As well as low school performance, behavior problems, high rates of teen sexuality and pregnancy, and juvenile delinquency. (Lamanna, 264)

Authoritative parenting has sometimes been called “positive parenting.”  Child psychologists prefer authoritative parenting style.  Authoritative parenting style is characterized as warm, firm, and fair, combines emotional nurturing and support with conscientious parental direction (although not excessive control).  Authoritative parents consider their child’s wishes and opinions along with their own as they make decisions on how to raise their child.  They are encouraging of their children's achievements, individuality, independence and talents.  While they are encouraging they also set limits with clear communication.  The authoritative style encompasses the parents direction and control coupled with what the children feels and needs.  
Research consistently shows that an authoritative parenting style is the most effective parenting style.  Regardless of family structure, authoritative parents are more likely than others to have children who do better in school and are socially competent, with relatively high self-esteem and cooperative, yet independent, personalities.  The positive effects of authoritative parenting last into adulthood.  When two parents are involved it can be even more effective. (Lamanna, 264)

While each description of the three parenting styles is short and concise I'm sure we can all look at the descriptions and decide which our parents fall into or what we fall into as parents.  I am one who was raised with authoritative parents.  While they were an authoritative style for me, they were more authoritarian for my older brother.  We are both near the age of 30 and are well past being parented.  But he is a completely different person based off of how he was parented relative to how I was parented.  I feel my parenting was much more beneficial and I know if he were to be asked the same question he would feel the same way.  It seems to be quite clear that the best way to produce the healthiest children we need to use an authoritative style and couple our direction with our children's needs.  It gives them the balance we all wish for in life.

Chase

Lamanna, M. A. (2012). Marriages, families, and relationships. (11th ed.). Belmont, California: Wadsworth.