Human Development II

1. Parent-Child
Relationships
Emerging Adults
Deanna Campbell

2. Challenges Unique to Parent/Child Relations
During Emerging Adulthood
• Parent’s acknowledging the child's emerging adulthood status.
 Parents must realize their child is growing up
• The development of filial and parental maturity
Having a mature relationship is key.
• The interplay of EA’s autonomy and dependency needs.
The give and take between parents and EA’s

3. Factors that Influence Relationship Quality
• Interaction between parents and children at a earlier age
• The previous history of what makes up the family
• The EA’s individual development with life-course transitions

4. Family Disruptions
• Divorce, custody arrangements, and remarriage equals a weaker relationship
between children and parents.
• Divorce and associated painful memories can cause inter-parental conflict
and reduced intimacy.
• Strong relationships are necessary for EA’s to have a successful launch into
adulthood.

5. Going Away to College
• This transition can cause discontinuity and change between the parents and
EA’s
• When the EA leaves it forces them and parents to engage in new patterns.
• Students away at school report more affection, communication, and
independence from parents.

6. Family Financial Support
• Financial support to EA’s improves their chances of success into adult roles.
• Higher education is the most common support from parents to EA’s
• Parents sometimes use economic support to influence the behavior of EA’s
• The higher the income and number of children is a factor in determining
how much support is supplied.

7. Types of Parenting
• Extremely involved (teaches skills, manners, & confidence)
• Hands off Approach (must live in order to learn)
• Neglectful (no support, can be abusive)
• Mom as BFF (friends, parents on EA’s level)
• Helicopter Parents (incessant hovering)

8. Boomerang Kids Defined
• Named for the frequency with which they choose to cohabitate with their
parents after a brief period of living on their own – thus boomeranging
back to their place of origin. This cohabitation can take many forms, ranging
from situations that mirror the high dependency of pre-adulthood to highly
independent, separate-household arrangements.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boomerang_Generation

9. Boomeranging
• In 2007, 38% women & 43% men aged 20-24 were living with their parents.
• Some reasons for moving back home include: a serious crisis (financial or
personal), or pursuing higher education.
• The parent/child relationships have both emotional and practical support for
both parties.

10. Damaged Relationships
• When a parent abuses drugs/alcohol, or are physically/emotionally abusive,
or mentally unstable there are profound effects on the children.
• Foster children make up 20,000 youth every year.
• These EA’s must have resilience to succeed without much, if any structured
family support.