This is the question I was asked today by a client of 32 who simply cannot find herself a really great guy? And I think I have part of the answer.

She is in the age group known as Generation X – the children of the baby boomers. The Baby Boomers themselves are part of the 80 million children world wide who were born between 1946 and 1964 post war and pre-contraception. Their children were born between 1961 and 1981. Generation X were parented very differently than their own parents. Most of them had more choices, lengthier educations and less need to get out to work as quickly as possible after 16 or leave the family home. Consequently we now have a generation where many young people live at home into their early thirties. Of course another reason for this is because life is so expensive now and buying flats and houses is almost impossible on the salaries the majority of young people earn. My point is that 25-30ish years ago most young people were working or leaving home at virtually the same time and it was easier to meet people who were living a similar life. Now days because we have the longest post-adolescence of any era, people are at very different stages at different times. The 30 year old still living at home would not suit the 32 year old young woman who has her own flat, car, job and is able to support herself but is very ready for a man to share her life with and hopefully create a family. There is no uniformity any more and it makes it harder to find a specific age group of people who are mostly at the same stage in life at the same time. So its not that all the ‘good guys or women’ have been taken, its just that finding the right one is now harder than it was because more and more people are at so many different stages of their lives at different times. I would love to hear your take on this, so please do share your comments.