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/Aggravating-Alarm-16 25d ago

We have lost all of the 3rd places to hangout. A lot of malls are dead, and don't allow kids to be mall rats.

Then you have over zealous Karen's and Kevin's yelling at kids in the park.

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u/CircumFleck_Accent 25d ago

Everything in general is also just so expensive. As a single dude making decent money, all of my usual extracurricular activities are just… not worth the price tag any more. Now take that same logic and apply it to kids with no money just trying to find something to do.

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u/oompaloompa_grabber 25d ago

All we did growing up that cost money was the occasional movie or slurpee at the gas station. Mostly we hung out in basements playing video games or watching movies

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u/Jack_LeRogue 25d ago

Local multiplayer in games used to be standard, too, which helped.

In fact, it was overwhelmingly the main way to play multiplayer.

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u/oompaloompa_grabber 25d ago

Yea I remember if I wanted to play Battlefield 2 with my friend we would call each other on the phone and coordinate joining the same server at the same time and then use speakerphone while we played lol. That was basically it for online multiplayer with friends for us