THE YALE GROUP: LEAVING THE FAMILY
Leaving the family Eighteen to Twenty-two: this is the transition between adolescent life and full entry into the adult world. During this period a young man is usually half in and half out of the family, but trying to separate himself from their support and authority. This involves moving out of the family home, becoming financially independent, and assuming new roles that make him more autonomous.
The major developmental task of this period is getting across the boundary between the family and the adult world. This period ends when the balance shifts and the young man has begun to make a place for himself outside. The Yale Group caution, however, that further work on separation from the family continues for many years—or in some cases, forever.
These are the principles to keep in mind as we look more closely at the changes and challenges that take place during the mid-life period. If every man in his middle years will also heed these same principles, remembering that the keynote of this turbulent period is growth and development, he will have taken a major step forward in managing his own mid-life crisis and triumphing over it.
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