'Boomers and Gen X infantilize their adult children': Millennials and Gen Z ponder how different their lives are to their parents

Ally Perry • Writer and Editor

Apr 13, 2024 11:00 AM EDT

As somebody who doesn't do well with timelines, I have benefitted from the fact my parents were somewhat late developers for people of their generation. I've yet to reach the often-judged age where they were married, owned a house, or had kids (although they didn't do it in that order). I don't even know for certain if I want any of those things, but it will certainly feel weird if I pass those birthdays and these milestones are still a nonexistent prospect.

However, if that happens I know that I will have plenty of company. It's not a revelation to say that many in the younger generations are putting off settling down for longer than those who came before them. This has been highlighted in a recent trend that compares parents who were married in their 20s to their adult children who are nowhere near to doing anything similar. It has been the subject of a discussion on Twitter, where not everyone was complimentary. We've seen some huge shifts over the past few decades, that's for sure.