Becoming an Adult

This chapter explains the challenges of the transition to adulthood for the young parents in this study, and it reflects on the implications of this transition for their risk of social poverty. In today’s culture, the transition to adulthood is a self-focused time of instability and exploration. Young people are often not settled with their education, employment and career plans, living situation, transportation, and ability to pay the bills. The multitude of changes and possible futures of this stage in life make it more difficult for romantic couples to create a stable foundation for a future together and commit to one another, when so much of what is to come is unknown. In many ways, the transition to adulthood can increase the risk of social poverty.