Parents get plenty of advice, solicited and unsolicited, when they're pregnant after their babies are born and when they have young kids. Parenting magazines will even cut off their articles at 12-15 ages of kids (at most). It seems that once your kids are 16-18 years old parents just guide them and let them live their life. Then once they're 18 we're just supposed to dust off our hands of any responsibility for them and let them figure everything out. That's what it seems, anyways. I know it's not correct, though. As someone who used to be an avid reader of 'Today's Parent' I was disheartened they wouldn't include issues dealing with older teens and young adults.

When my daughter was about to turn 18 I had a lot of anxieties and uncertainties about what to expect. Since she's special needs with an intellectual disability she had an extra year of school to complete and wouldn't be fit to look for her first job until she has done a year at a program that helps those with disabilities develop skills and find accommodating work. That's where we're at. So, that is a specific situation but there are other circumstances that I needed to consider. Including the end of child support, which has been a good chunk of my income, the end of child tax benefits, but more freedom on picking up more hours of work, or getting a 2nd job.

As the cost of living is rising and jobs are becoming scarcer, it is imperative more than ever to help our adult children be prepared for independence. This takes time. One thing I discovered that I wish I did when I was a young adult is get set up with personal health insurance to be able to get the healthcare that isn't covered by our public health insurance. Ensuring she has a photo ID, getting an affordable bank account, or set up with a credit union. Anything that you can think of. I'm also wondering what a young adult can do for investments.

Does anyone have any other advice, tips, and wisdom to share that can help our new adults have an easier transition to the next phase of their life?