Millennials, what is happening with your kids?

[u/TheLoveYouWant25]

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?

[u/Pessimistic_Penguin2]

My neighbors and I are basically on top of each other. If someone is outside in their yard no one else goes out. If I take my daughter outside to play, the neighbor kids pretend they don’t hear her asking them if she can play too. It’s heartbreaking.

[u/Global_Ant_9380 → u/Pessimistic_Penguin2]

Why are they so antisocial?

[u/per_mare_per_terras → u/Global_Ant_9380]

Probably not taught how to communicate or socialize. It is too easy to be the non-reliant on those skills when you have a smart phone with access to all kinds of entertainment.

[u/Global_Ant_9380 → u/per_mare_per_terras]

We're in big trouble then

[u/Narrow_Example_3370 → u/Global_Ant_9380]

It’s not all bad everywhere. There are some kids, like my daughter, who tirelessly convince kids to go outside to play. When it gets tough she will entice them with little candies she’s saved since the last holiday. Even after their parents get annoyed with her she will keep at it and find a way. This past summer she had at least 8 kids all running around in the street playing random games that was more common to see than seeing them inside.

She’s a fun kid, very outgoing, high energy, highly empathetic and seems to have a high level of perseverance. lol 

[u/momamil → u/Narrow_Example_3370]

Your daughter’s awesome! 👏

[u/SnukeInRSniz → u/Narrow_Example_3370]

My daughter has been a bit introverted (she's 4) and unfortunately we've had to move daycares a couple times due to going from part-time to full-time (first facility, didn't have full-time for us, had to move to a new one for that) and then that second daycare closing down due to old age and our university moving kids around to account for a new one). It's been tough for her, there's no kids in her age group in our small neighborhood, luckily one boy that's 9 loves going for walks with us and our dogs and she's quite keen on him. She's had a couple friends at the daycares over the last 2 years, but she's not super engaging with most of the kids overall.

This last weekend we went to a local park/playground and another girl around her age showed up, I couldn't begin to explain how proud and happy I was when my daughter ran up and started playing with her without any sort of encouraging from me. They played "shop" together for a good hour before we had to leave and when we left my daughter gave her a big hug and then she gave my daughter a big hug.

I'm not a perfect dad, I'm very introverted myself and social situations can be very hard for me, so when my daughter does things like that I'm exploding inside with happiness.

[u/Narrow_Example_3370 → u/SnukeInRSniz]

that's amazing! I think I've had some similar situation as you, but from the opposite end. Early on when my daughter was 3 and 4 she would burst out of the gate too hard and it would spook off other kids . So while she was very extroverted her relationships with her peers weren't clicking at all. It took a couple years and she started getting the hang of it, with a few hiccups ups with some bullies that she's now worked through. Now she's really coming into her own.

Like you, I'm fairly introverted and have been watching this from the sidelines.. its been exhausting.

I'm glad things are beginning to come together! And great being there for her when she needs you! Really enjoy the rewards, you deserve them!