I interpreted it as a sequence. The concern for status "transfers over to parenting", perhaps in a similar way as the High School popularity contests are someti

I interpreted it as a sequence. The concern for status "transfers over to parenting", perhaps in a similar way as the High School popularity contests are sometimes transferred (hopefully sublimated) to college. Most people have a set of life goals they accomplish in sequence, such as college -> marriage -> career -> children (Some people switch them around or omit some of them)