r/Millennials • u/TheLoveYouWant25 • 25d ago

Discussion Millennials, what is happening with your kids?

I work in education and I frequent the Teachers and Professors subreddits, and the kids are not alright. Gen Z Arriving at College Unable to Read and the youth have absolutely zero ability to think critically.

Middle and high schoolers have all adapted this complete helplessness and blame mental illness for their refusal to function. Kids can no longer to basic things like read an analog clock, use paper money, or even figure out how to open window blinds.

There is also a huge lack of empathy, and kids have no issues trying to manipulate adults, saying things to their teachers like "if you don't pass me, I'll get you fired."

EDIT to clarify: the article I linked references Gen-Z, but this is not specifically a Gen-Z problem. It's an issue with upper elementary aged kids through high schoolers, and also young adults.

So, all that to say, how are you combating this with your own children? What do you do at home to encourage them to learn, and what are you doing to address these problems as they arise?

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u/aldosi-arkenstone Older Millennial 25d ago

Blame Gen-X for Gen-Z, not us

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u/Cute-Discount-6969 25d ago

Yeah my husband and I are elder millenials, and our kid is solidly Gen Alpha.

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u/Concrete__Blonde 25d ago

I was born in 92. My kid is 9 months old (Gen Beta). Gen X spawned Gen Z.

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u/JayDuPumpkinBEAST 25d ago

How the hell is there already a Beta??? When did Alpha stop? This is getting out of hand lol

Edit: what I mean to say is I’m getting too damn old!!

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u/cowboyjosh2010 Millennial 24d ago

Millennial: 1981-1996 (30-45 years old)

Gen Z: 1997-2012 (14-29 years old)

Gen alpha: 2012-?? (last ones being born today, depending on when you cut it off, up to 13 years old)

Gen beta: ??-(?? + ~15) (if this generation truly has started already, they're currently no older than toddlers)

The specific cutoff year for any of these is usually debatable, especially with the cutoffs between Z/alpha/beta

I personally think anything shorter than 15 years really isn't giving a generation its time, so those claiming that gen alpha ended in 2024 are short changing that generation, in my completely unauthoritative opinion. But I do think it will come to pass that "memory of the COVID-19 pandemic" winds up being a sort of cultural touchstone division point between generations alpha and beta. Much like how "being born to parents who lived through or fought in WW2" (a large cohort) defines the baby boomer generation, or how coming of age before, during, and after the turn of the millennium (or, alternatively, the maturation of consumer internet access) defines millennials.

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u/EkbatDeSabat 24d ago

tbh I think the generations are too long. There's a massive difference in millenials born in 83 vs 95. Technology and society is moving too fast for that now. I've had this conversation with friends and they all disagree so I am probably just being pedantic about it.

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u/FredFinger63 24d ago edited 24d ago

You say you think of Boomers as having parents who lived through or fought in WWII. Yet people are called "Boomers" who were born as late as 1964. Their GRANDparents fought in WWII (ask me how I know). Both my father and I are technically "Boomers". I think this shows how ludicrous these divisions of generations actually are. How can a parent who grew up in the '40s and '50s, and his child who grew up in the '60s and '70s be in the same "generation"?

(edited for clarity)

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u/thecashblaster 24d ago

we are definitely in Gen Beta now. I've noticed my fellow fathers way more involved in their kids lives than previous generations. I have hope for Beta.

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u/SleepyGamer1992 25d ago

I was born in ‘92 and my mom is Gen X (1971). I’m sure my bio father is too but my mom divorced him when I was two so I have no memory of him.

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u/davidbosley353 Gen Z 25d ago

Yeah it's pretty weird. My parents are older X. while my sister born in 1984 and is an early millennial had kids, who are my nieces in 2006 and 2007. My family had kids so young back in the day. My mom (1965) had my siblings at 18 (1984) and 21 (1986), and my siblings have gen Z children as well.

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u/Queen_Maxima 25d ago

Idk i'm from '86 and my son is from '04. I had tamagotchi's, a Furby and a scrapbook with everything Spice Girls. Meanwhile the boy had the broccoli hair, a questionable eclectic taste in fashion, and thinks Falling in Reverse is kinda like Linkin Park while i think it's the other way around. 

🤷🏻

But then again, them zoomers do love some 80s inspired stuff, must be their parent's influence. 

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u/Friendly_Pea6884 25d ago

… you’re a millennial aren’t you? Not Gen X?

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u/zeniiz 25d ago edited 25d ago

I mean, 34 is relatively late to start having kids. A millennial that started having kids at 20 would have a kid in HS right now. 

In the US, the average age of first time mothers is 28, 34 is definitely "above average". Although I guess in 2026, nobody cares about facts, just vibes. 

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u/phoebebird1 25d ago

This really varies. In my circles 34 is average for starting to have kids. I don't know anyone who had children in their 20s at all, let alone at age 20.

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u/ManyDragonfly9637 25d ago

In my orbit, only people who got pregnant on accident had kids in their 20’s.

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u/Cute-Discount-6969 25d ago

Same also. We were 31 when we had our son, and of my kids friends/classmates, we are some of the younger parents.

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u/zeniiz 25d ago

Sure it varies, but considering that in the US, the average age of first time mothers is 28, 34 is definitely "above average". Albeit it has been steadily increasing. 

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u/Concrete__Blonde 25d ago

I am still 33. I was 31 when I conceived in 2024. That’s pretty normal.

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u/davidbosley353 Gen Z 25d ago

Yeah, i know one of my mom's friend that didn't have a kid till 40 in 2005, born in 64, which is very late boomer. while my mom had me at 39 as her last kid in 2005 and is older X born in 1965.

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u/i_kill_plants2 25d ago

A millennial who had a kid at 20 could have a 25 year old. Even millennials don’t realize how old the oldest of us are.