This Is Why Millennials Are Struggling To Grow Up

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Can you think of a generation that has received quite as much bad press as the millennials? This generation that came of age around the year 2000 has a really bad reputation at the minute. If you ask most baby boomers, I'm sure that they will tell you that millennials are lazy and very self-centered. That opinion has mainly been generated by the press, who seem to have an agenda against the current set of young adults. Because of the ubiquitousness of the press and the strength of their opinions, now most of the population are in agreement that millennials are not pulling their weight in society. But is that really the case?

It's true that if you compare baby boomers to millennials, it looks like boomers were doing better at the age that most millennials are now. For instance, most boomers would be married with a young family and in a permanent job by the time they were thirty. This is not the case with the millennial generation and most are still living with friends in flatshares well into their mid-thirties. But is this really their own fault?

Here are a few points to consider regarding some of the external factors and how they are having an effect on the millennial generation. Maybe once you read through them, you might see that the problems facing this generation haven't been brought about by themselves after all!

Millennials Crave Recognition

Baby boomers were born at a time when it was incredibly easy to make something of themselves. Even those who were born into poverty could work their way out of it and end up earning a considerable wage thanks to fantastic social mobility. Plus, the government and economy were both doing very well, and there was a lot of wealth being generated as the baby boomers were in their early twenties. Basically put, it was very easy for them to achieve their dreams. So, it makes sense that they tried to pass down this go-getting attitude to their children - the kids who would eventually grow up to become the millennial generation. As a result, baby boomer parents would always push their children to achieve as much as possible and always congratulate and celebrate them when they did. However, the world in which they now live is not optimized for success. There is hardly any more social mobility. Still, though, the millennials try to push themselves as they now crave the recognition that was once given to them by their parents. Unfortunately, the world of work isn't always filled with recognition and credit, and this is something that can leave millennials feeling very unfulfilled and unwilling to push themselves too far.

It's true that if you compare baby boomers to millennials, it looks like boomers were doing better at the age that most millennials are now. For instance, most boomers would be married with a young family and in a permanent job by the time they were thirty. This is not the case with the millennial generation and most are still living with friends in flatshares well into their mid thirties. But is this really their own fault?

Here are a few points to consider regarding some of the external factors and how they are having an effect on the millennial generation. Maybe once you read through them, you might see that the problems facing this generation haven't been brought about by themselves after all!

Millennials Crave Recognition

Baby boomers were born at a time when it was incredibly easy to make something of themselves. Even those who were born into poverty could work their way out of it and end up earning a considerable wage thanks to fantastic social mobility. Plus, the government and economy were both doing very well, and there was a lot of wealth being generated as the baby boomers were in their early twenties. Basically put, it was very easy for them to achieve their dreams. So, it makes sense that they tried to pass down this go-getting attitude to their children - the kids who would eventually grow up to become the millennial generation. As a result, baby boomer parents would always push their children to achieve as much as possible and always congratulate and celebrate them when they did. However, the world in which they now live is not optimized for success. There is hardly any more social mobility. Still, though, the millennials try to push themselves as they now crave the recognition that was once given to them by their parents. Unfortunately, the world of work isn't always filled with recognition and credit, and this is something that can leave millennials feeling very unfulfilled and unwilling to push themselves too far.

hey Have Adopted A Weakened Economy

The millennials can hardly be blamed for the economy that they have inherited. After all, by the time they were ready to enter the world of work, the economy was already on its knees and there were hardly any jobs as a result. But it's not just work that is affected by a poor economy. It also makes life difficult for people who are trying to save as the interest rates of most bank accounts are kept fairly low. In fact, some accounts have such low interest rates that the interest added onto your cash at the end of the month might not seem worth it! So, perhaps if the millennials had adopted a stronger economy, they would be in a much better position to do well in life?

They're Used To Tech Helping Them Out

Ok, so millennials aren't exactly the best problem solvers out there. That's largely because they don't need to be, though. They can rely on tech instead of their own problem-solving skills! For example, if they have a question or can't figure something out, they can simply turn to Google. But it's not just Google that is helping them out. There is now a lot of smart tech that they can install into their homes that will help them around the house. One popular form of this kind of tech is the smart thermostat . Installing such a thermostat gives them the chance to connect their heating to their smartphone so that they are able to control there heating. That means they no longer have to worry about leaving their heating on when the head out as they can quickly turn it off once they remember. But is this really useful? Might it mean that millennials are forgetting the practical skills needed to run a successful household?

They Can't Afford Their Own Place

The baby boomer generation is made up of individuals who are very proud of being homeowners. Unfortunately, the same can't be said for millennials. In fact, hardly anyone in this generation is in a position to be able to afford their own place, so many are still living with friends or their parents well into their thirties. In some cases, they might even still be in a flatshare or still living at home in their forties! Even though there are still a lot of forms of financing available, such as mortgages and help to buy schemes, most millennials are being priced out of the property market. There does seem to be some changes being made that are aimed at helping millennials, though. So, the housing loan interest rate looks like it will be altered to be in line with the average living wage, plus more banks are now offering mortgages to those who they would normally refuse. So, even though it is a struggle for millennials to get on the first rung of the property ladder, it looks like there might be a light at the end of the tunnel after all.

Milestones In Life Are Changing

I've already mentioned that most baby boomers had bought their first home and started a family all by the time they hit thirty. That's not the case anymore, though, as millennials are pushing these milestones further and further back. Once the average age to get married was in the early twenties, but it is now firmly in the early thirties. Plus, most women don't have their first baby until they are in their mid to late thirties. The main reason for this change in life milestones? It's because people are now waiting until they can afford them. If people can barely afford a one-bedroom flat for themselves in their twenties, how are they going to be able to afford a house or children? Millennials may be moving their milestones back later in life, but it's not because they want to.

Saving For The Future Is Impossible

Most millennials are living hand to mouth and barely have any money left over at the end of the end of the month. So, how are they expected to save for the future? In fact, most millennials do not yet have a pension, and many are unable to afford one until they are in their late thirties. This is quite late to start saving for retirement and, as a result, their life savings are greatly reduced which means they might not be able to afford a comfortable retirement. Not only that, though, but hardly any of this young generation are paying into investments that could help them out in the future.

So, as you can see then, there is a lot standing in the way of millennials, not much of which is actually their fault. Hopefully, things will start to pick up for this oft-maligned generation.