Extended Adolescents Pt. 1

“Aren’t you a little young to be getting married?”

“Wow! You are so young to have 3 kids?”

“Are you sure you are ready to throw the best years of your life away?”

“How are you going to afford all this on one income, with three small children?”

These are all comments that I have heard on multiple occasions as a young twenty-eight year old father of three children four years old and younger.

My wife and I absolutely love Costco, and unfortunately have to limit our trips there, or I would be eating their $1.50 all beef hot dog every single weekend. A couple weekends ago, we loaded up our three children in the mini-van and journeyed over to Taj de America where hummus is sold by the galloon, chicken nuggets by the ton and samples by the dozen.

Our two older children, ages 4 and 3, were seated in the shopping cart children’s spots and our third child, 4 months old, was asleep in the car seat, therefore being placed in the large part of the shopping cart where groceries normally sit. Because of the lack of space for actual groceries in what had quickly become a giant all metal stroller for our family, we grabbed a second basket.

We filled it up with various diapers, sparkling water (my unguilty pleasure), and various snacks, produce and paper goods. As we walked through the store with our two kids, one full of kid, other full of stuff for our kids. Someone walked by and said “Is all that yours?” I couldn’t tell what basket they were talking about. I said “Yes all three humans are mine and laughed.” And they did too.

These comments represent a predominant narrative that has somehow moved from ancillary to very much present, and distinct in American thought stream. Your 20’s and younger 30’s are a time for travel, self-exploration, freedom from responsibility both financially and professionally and self-invention.

Go back-packing in Europe, go travel to New York City, go play golf at the best courses in the United States, go spend $200 at the best restaurant in the downtown Metro, and finish the night with a $25 cocktail before you hope in the 2024 Toyota 4Runner that you can’t afford on a $80,000 salary but can pay the monthly bill.

This dynamic is present all over the country, and drastically shaping the future of the economy, family life, education and real estate.

Now before I get accused of being a harsh baby boomer, hide cash under your mattress, drive your ’96 Camry to the ground because you listened to Dave Ramsey’s Podcast.