Week6-Early&Middle Adult-Journet

   

       Chapter 9 is all about early adulthood.  It is very hard to tell in the U.S. when someone has transitioned from adolescence to early adulthood because it is not to clear.  In other countries young people are initiated perhaps in a ritual of some kind but in U.S we have many rites of passages into adulthood..  There are religious types like bar/bat mitzvah or confirmation in the Catholic religion.  Some physical rites of passage are menarche, wet dreams for males, first sexual encounter or beginning to shave.(208) Social rites include a quinceanera or sweet sixteen, getting married or becoming a parent. In college, the young men and women are initiated in a fraternity or sorority through hazing which can be dangerous.  Other forms of initiation in the U.S. can come in the form of a gang initiation. 

   

            For me personally, my rites into adulthood included getting a job, graduating form highschool, marriage, becoming a parent , along with the physical rites into adulthood.

      Young adults are considered to be in peak physical condition.  They have reached their maximum height hopefully their weight if the stay fit.  Their muscle structure is at the greatest potential.  Tinking back to this point of my life, I did not care about my nutritional needs and I ate what ever I wanted.  I was also a young mom so I didn't focus on any exercise for health benefits.  I appeared healthy and at a good weight range prior to 27.  

    

          Young adults between the ages of 18-25 are most likely to binge drink than any other life span group. Also, smoking seemed to be cool and gave young individuals a sense of being grown up.  Young adults are most likely to face things like sexual harassment, date rape and the book says that 1in 4 women are victims of rape in college.  This is very alarming to me.  I never experienced the whole college dorm thing but i have seen it on the news or from friends.  It does concern me because I have 3 children who I have encouraged to attend college and this tells me that i have to really talk to them about things to look out for in highschool and in college.  
    
           Growing up i had a hard time with gender roles and accepting them as a part of me.  My dad would expect my sister and I to clean his apartment when we visited and he would take my brother to work on construction.  I rebelled and said that i would not lift a finger if my brother was not expected to do house chores. As a young adult in my own marriage I had a hard time with this because I could not understand why women still took on the extra house chores if both the husband and the wife worked full time jobs.  
      Because of this in my home we all do our share of house chores.  My husband, my self and my 3 children regardless of gender will take on different house responsibilities.  We try to stay away from gender roles in my home.

     One thing that really caught my attention was when I read the following "Some researchers suggest that mothers influence the developments of their daughters' gender role attitudes in early life, whereas daughters may influence the development of their Mothers' gender role attitudes as they both mature."(Balsam & Fischer,2006)
     I believe this 100 percent.  My daughters have influenced me and my perspective on gender roles as we continue to mature. 

    I also enjoyed reading about Levinson's concept of Individuation and the novice phase into adulthood.  I do feel that I have chosen certain people in my life to serve as mentors for me.  Some of them are aware that they are like mentors to me.  Some are not aware that I consider them as mentors in my life.  In my arsenal of mentors I have older and wiser friends and professionals that I admire and I also have younger friends/professionals in the group as well because they remind me not to take life too seriously.  I am also at the age where I am considered a mentor to others as well.
  
   

          In chapter 10 we learn that middle adulthood in many countries an individual is considered to be in their "prime of life" or in "full bloom."  The book quotes a tshirt that says " aged to perfection."  I agree with this because I have just entered this period and I do feel "aged to perfection."  I have made many changes in my life such as healthy eating and exercise because I am aware of the benefits.  
   
           Erikson's Theory of Generativity Vs.Stagnation covers the ages of 25-65 years old.  Generativity is when an individual is productive and a contributing member to society.  On the other hand you may have an individual that is stagnant who has become bored , self absorbed and is not contributing anything to society.  It says that those individual who reach Generativity are more likely to achieve integrity in the last stage of life instead of despair.  

     In middle adulthood many people really think about their lives and the things they have achieved or not achieved.  Many make changes at this point.  Some changes include divorce, career change, health changes among other things.  For individuals it can be very stressful especially if they are sandwiched between caring for an aging parent and caring for their children.  The book refers to it as Sandwich Generation which I am currently in.  It is very stressful.  Being married and caring for an elderly mom,children, and attending to my own school in addition to working full time and trying make some time for myself.  It is important to have a support system in order to not become overwhelmed with the demands of everyday life.