Preparing for adult life

Growing up is often described as a natural process: a child becomes a teenager, a teenager becomes an adult, and eventually the person is expected to manage life independently. In reality, the transition is much more complicated. A person can legally become an adult at a certain age and still feel completely unprepared for many practical responsibilities. Suddenly, decisions about money, work, education, housing, health, relationships, documents, appointments, schedules, and future plans may become personal responsibilities rather than tasks managed by parents or teachers. This can make adulthood seem frightening, especially because young people are often told that they should “know what they want” before they have had enough experience to understand many of their options.…