When I was 19 I could not wait to get out of the house. It was not easy and I struggled for years. That's my trip.
Also in the old days was it not the general practice that women stayed with their parents until they were married? Seems prior to 1960's that was largely true.
I think kids do need to get out there and embrace adulthood, but like you said people are living longer.
Your comments are great, and it points to the fact that this is a complicated issue. Certainly there are those perpetual children who get one meaningless degree after another and hang out at Starbucks and never ever get around to adulthood. You know, the Occupy Wall Street types.
On the other hand, just a few generations ago, living at home was considered normal and healthy - aka - The Waltons. For that era, that was standard. Back then, it was the economy that encouraged a lot of that...as it is today.
Yes, single women would live with their families until they eventually got married. So their families could watch and keep them safe from predatory men who just wanted to use them for sex.
Yes, young men were eager to leave to house not that long ago because they ... WANTED TO HAVE SEX! and their ability to do so was being constrained by remaining at home.
Neither of these situations apply anymore. The vast majority of parents dont guard their daughters virtue anymore and may in fact encourage them to sexually experiment.
And boys don't feel like living at home keeps them from having sex because their parents let them use their rooms like hotel rooms and dont care if girls sleep over ect.
Single women should still live at home with their parents as far as I'm concerned.