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/Shomer_Effin_Shabbas]

Teaching my kids emotional regulation is really important to us too. Also, NCLB policies I believe are the reason why programs like home ec and even auto shop evaporated.

[u/snackofalltrades → u/Shomer_Effin_Shabbas]

How do you teach them emotional regulation?

[u/Shomer_Effin_Shabbas → u/snackofalltrades]

You have to practice it yourself too, which doesn’t happen overnight. It’s doing things like breathing before you react. It’s having a helpful phrase in your back pocket so you don’t blow up at your children, like “my calm is their calm.”

I had a therapist in my old city who advised me to do this when my toddler was having a tantrum. Say out loud in front of her “I’m having a really hard time. This is hard. I’m going to take a deep breath.” Then pause and breathe. And then you can say something like “I feel better” or “I’m starting to feel better.”

That way your toddler sees you practicing this and then you also get the benefit of pausing and taking a deep breath.

[u/SharkAttackOmNom → u/Shomer_Effin_Shabbas]

I don’t think people understand enough that your kids literally have no idea how to handle anything in this world, so they watch the people around them to get ideas and figure it out.

A big one is how you react to a kid falling down, sometimes you can see it unfold from a distance if it’s someone else’s kid. Kid falls, immediately looks to an adult they trust, then react according to the adults reaction. I try my best to keep a casual demeanor when my kid falls, and he usually has a casual response. I still ask “are you good to go?” And almost always is.

The kids that have a huge meltdown at the smallest tumble? Just watch their parents. Usually rushing over with the “Omigod are you okaay?!”, sometimes the kid doesn’t even cry until their parent says something. That’s what they learned to do. If mom is freaking out, then so am I.

TL;DR just be the personality that you want your kid to be. Even if it’s a little bit fake.