Then and Now: The 30-year perspective

We all know life has changed a lot since we were young adults. A recent Canadian news story puts some numbers on those changes. Here's the contrast on 22-year-old Canadians: In 1971, 3/4 had left school; 1/2 had married; 1/4 had children. Fast forward 30 years: only 1/2 had left school; a mere 1/5 were either married or in a conjugal relationship; 1/11 had children.

The generation gap is narrowing, the article points out. It's not just economic factors but the "egalitarian relationships" parents have with their adult children. Makes them less in a rush to go anywhere.

And that may not be a bad thing. Certainly, here in the U.S., young adults don't seem to be in a hurry to marry. Among the more affluent, they do seem to be scurrying off to places far from home to experience life before they get serious jobs and choose partners for the long haul. That could even help them settle down in a better place in the long run.