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The negative implications for the ability of young adults and their children to achieve the American Dream are profound and deeply troubling, but this superbly written book, drawing on insights from behavioral economics, provides clearheaded, actionable recommendations of how we can change course and ensure that every young person can achieve their full potential. "Belle Sawhill has written an extraordinary book that surfaces and analyzes the most important demographic shift over the last 50 years: the trend of young adults drifting into parenthood, rather than planning for it. Sawhill draws on insights from the new field of behavioral economics, showing that it is possible, by changing the default, to move from a culture that accepts a high number of unplanned pregnancies to a culture in which adults only have children when they are ready to be a parent. These two distinct patterns are contributing to an emerging class divide and threatening social mobility in the United States. Sawhill offers a third approach: change "drifters" into "planners." In a well-written and accessible survey of the impact of family structure on child well-being, Sawhill contrasts "planners," who are delaying parenthood until after they marry, with "drifters," who are having unplanned children early and outside of marriage. The left argues for more social support for unmarried parents the right argues for a return to traditional marriage. The result is increased poverty and inequality for children. Over half of all births to young adults in the United States now occur outside of marriage, and many are unplanned.
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