Independence and self-sufficiency are objectively critical parts of being a functional adult and, therefore, should be prioritized when raising or educating youth.
So it should be reassuring that most parents think they do enough to help their teens become independent. According to a poll by the C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health, 63% of parents said they agree that they do enough, and 24% said they strongly agree. Unfortunately, further research into the lives of current young adults shows their definition of enough might, in fact, be less than.
A study titled “Conceptualizing and measuring youth independence multidimensionally in the United States” by Anna Manzoni, Ph.D., shows that only 28% of youth are considered fully independent.
But what does it mean to “be independent”?
When I think of independence, I remember anxiously standing in line at the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) waiting to take my permit test. But the word independence can mean a variety of things, such as doing your own laundry for the first time, going on a trip without your parents, or getting your first job.
Manzoni breaks it up into four groups based on different indicators of independence. These groups are living arrangements, financial standing, self-perceived autonomy, and sense of being an adult.
While these groups don’t apply directly to high schoolers, they should be considered the goals our current levels of independence need to reach. And I think there are many steps that we, as soon-to-be young adults, can take toward achieving these standards of independence.
On the forefront of preparing for the first two indicators of independence — living arrangements and financial standing — it might be good to start questioning parents, teachers, or YouTube about how to manage finances or make financial decisions later on.
Most schools or communities offer classes or programs to assist in personal finance. For example, as a member of Carlmont High School’s Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program, I was fortunate to participate in a sort of crash course in financial education from Monterra Credit Union. Even if you aren’t able to find an in-person program that works for you, there are many free online resources you can use.
Another approach is finding a summer or after-school job.
When it comes to the last two of Manzoni’s indicators, which are a measurement of how independent we feel, it’s a lot easier to make progress toward achieving them. You can do things like getting your driver’s license, taking classes outside of school, or even going shopping all by yourself.
Overall, it’s essential to keep doing things that will help you become a more capable individual and advocate for yourself by taking steps that make you more independent.
