Today's generation of students has changed a lot from previous generations. Just walk into a classroom filled with students, and you'll notice that most of them seem a lot more different than your days as a student. Whether your childhood was centered around the '90s or even the early 2000s, you can probably list a few differences between the time you grew up in versus now. And whether you think that your generation grew up in a better time, every generation has encountered differences in the culture that they grew up in.
But what exactly is so different about today's generation compared to prior ones? Here are 9 things that make kids and teens in today's generation different.
1. Kids are getting more involved with social media at a younger age
In previous generations, social media did not exist. In fact, I remember as a '90s kid when all we had were flip phones! Before that, it was landlines. Kids are getting involved in social media at a young before any other generation has gotten involved due to early exposure. There isn't one place that you won't spot a kid on their cell phone looking at Instagram.
2. There is more peer pressure and social anxiety
Almost every generation has experienced some form of peer pressure and social anxiety, but it's never been at the rate that today's generation is experiencing it. According to Garden of Life, about 12 percent of millennials have been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, which is double the percentage of baby boomers.
This is due to social media and the increased pressure that students now have about maintaining relationships with their peers. Social media increases their fear of being judged and how many likes they get on social media. It's something as a student teacher I see has a tremendous effect on a lot of students, specifically preteens and teenagers.
3. You barely see any of them play outside in their neighborhood
Remember when playing in the backyard or with the neighborhood kids was the form of entertainment? Well in today's generation, you barely see any kids playing in the cul-de-sac or interacting with neighborhood kids. Previous generations didn't have video games or phones, and if they did they weren't as advanced as they are now. Some of us just had the first PlayStation, a Nintendo, or the arcade. It's easy to see why there's an increase in childhood obesity compared to prior generations.
4. They're more tech-savvy
On the plus side, today's generation is much more tech-savvy than any other generation. You'll find iGen (also known as Generation Z) be the first to help adults with using a computer or quickly figuring out how to use a smart board. It can be beneficial since it definitely helps them to adapt more easily with technological advancements in society.
5. Kids and teens today face different issues
As with any generation, kids are facing their own set of issues. They may face problems like cyberbullying, negative body image, stress, and exposure to on-screen violence. It's something that other generations may not have experienced as severely as today's kids.
6. They're more aware of the outside world
Most of today's kids, teens, and preteens are more connected with receiving information about news or issues than prior generations. Being connected to social media allows them to access information in ways that other generations may have been unable to. On the downside, they also have access to information about disasters such as school shootings or terrorism, which makes it harder for parents to maintain their child's innocence.
7. They've grown up at an earlier age
As mentioned before, because of being able to access information through social media, a lot of kids in today's generation grow up at a faster rate. They're more independent at a younger age. Just take a look at the freshmen students now compared to prior generations, and you notice they seem to completely skip the awkward phase!
8. They have less face-to-face interaction with family members
You've probably noticed that kids don't interact as much face-to-face with family members as much anymore. Some families struggle with keeping their children from pulling out their phones or getting them to talk to them at dinner time or on other occasions.
9. They're more accepting than previous generations
It seems that overall, kids now know more about LGBTQ discrimination, racism, and social inequality and are generally more accepting. Not all students in today's generation may be accepting since there are still incidences of bullying regarding race and LGBTQ students. However, overall, an increasing amount of students are taught to be more accepting by their school or parents.
As you can see, today's generation is very different from any other generation in the past. They even encounter issues that no other generation has dealt with before. However, despite what others may say about today's generation of kids, teens, or young adults, they still have many unique qualities and challenges. Their response to those challenges may determine the overall impact on both their future and the future generations.
