Extending and Expanding Parenthood: Parental Support to Young Adult Children Rayna Amber Sage* and Monica Kirkpatrick Johnson Department of Sociology, Washington State University Abstract Today’s transition to adulthood in the United States is complex and drawn out. Current economic and social conditions favor young workers who have completed post-secondary education, result- ing in many young adults delaying exiting the family home, marriage, and parenthood. The role of parental support (both affective and instrumental) in navigating this period of development is becoming increasingly important and plays a substantial role in reproducing inequality across gen- erations. Informed by the life course perspective, this review provides readers with a basic under- standing of what types of support parents provide, when it is expected and received, and finally, how it is related to attainment and the quality of the parent–child relationship throughout young adulthood. We conclude with a discussion of how class differences in intergenerational support intersect with institutional factors to enhance the reproduction of inequality and how the new demands for parental support throughout young adulthood is more than many families can pro- vide. The transition to adulthood has become, on average, more diverse and lengthier today than it was in the past (Settersten and Ray 2010). Economic and social independence from parents is increasingly demanding some type of post-secondary education (Bell et al. 2007; Settersten and Ray 2010). To adjust to the new demands of the labor market, many young adults are waiting longer to get married and are delaying childbearing into their late 20s and early 30s (Massey 2007; Teachman et al. 2000). Although the impacts of material and affective support from parents during childhood and adolescence on well- being and achievement has been well-established (Conger et al. 2010; Crosnoe and Cava- nagh 2010), only recently have researchers turned their attention to family support during the transition to adulthood (Swartz 2009). The elongation of the transition to adulthood has not only prompted more research, but also widespread public dialog on the extent to which families do and should provide additional support (Furstenberg 2008; Settersten and Ray 2010). Evidence is mounting in favor of the idea that parental support during early adulthood contributes to the continued reproduction of inequality (see Swartz 2008 for review). This review will provide readers with a basic understanding of what intergenerational support is (from parents to young adult children in this case), when it is expected and received, and finally, how it is related to attainment and the quality of the parent–child relationship within the context of the United States. Because class plays a significant role in the variation of intergenerational support, this review pays close attention to these dif- ferences. Where there are important differences by gender and race / ethnicity, we briefly address these as well. In organizing and making sense of the recent research in this area, we draw from key principles and concepts from the life course perspective (Elder 2007). At the outset, we Sociology Compass 6/3 (2012): 256–270, 10.1111/j.1751-9020.2011.00446.x ª 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd