What will the U18s of today vilify older generations for?

[Serada]

Boomers get a tough time for a myriad of things - irrespective if whether they had any control over them or not.

What will today’s generation blame us for? Brexit? Environment? Housing costs? Lockdown? Large numbers of children or their parents with long covid? Falling healthy life expectancy?

Helicopter/lawnmover parenting. Overprotecting them resulting in them being anxious about everything becaude they have no trust in their own ability to cope with life.

They will hate their parents for sharing every minute of their kids’ lives on social media.

Definitely the environment and in particular single use plastics.

Parents putting their photos and videos on social media.

@helpfulpersonwonder if there’s also a term for helicopter schooling - some schools seem to notice every little misdemeanour and ping a message home (Johnny was two minutes late for class, wanted to use the toilet, borrowed a pen off his classmate).

Yep, some parents do go too far on social media.

Tracking their every move into adulthood
Energy drinks
Social media

Taking all those frequent "cheap" flights.
Considering a holiday abroad to be a right, not a privilege.
Driving vehicles powered by diesel and petrol.
Using single use plastic.
Ripping out perfectly functioning kitchens and bathrooms because of "the aesthetic".
Plus yes, putting their children on social media.

You think future generations will have a problem with schools setting firm boundaries?
I strongly suspect that many will be critical of a soft approach in too many cases.

The environment. I think everything else will pale into insignificance.

Nailed it.

Constantly looking at their phones rather than paying them attention and actually talking to them.

Probably our gentle parenting and absolute obsession on getting everything right.

Probably in the same breath the fact stay at home parents still arent valued and everyone is encouraged to work no matter what. Maybe everyone will go back to a four day working week, less time on the internet and more time at home growing own food, caring for each other, self sufficiency.

Oh and how we discriminate against robots.

I would have said this a few years ago but the young people I know (and most older ones too) are embracing AI and don't give a flying fuck at the environmental damage it can cause. They literally don't care because it might save them 1 minute of scrolling or typing. Sometimes I can't believe what is happening, Europe is burning and we are embracing something like this as if the two aren't connected. It makes me want to go back to coal fires and chuck a pile of plastic in landfill, I've tried so hard for so long to reduce waste and minimise my carbon footprint (within reason) and it's all been a complete waste of time and energy.

All the photos. We take so many faces. Im guilty but need to get better at living in the moment.

Also the processed food.

Social media is the new smoking. The younger generation are embarrassed by it and the older generation know it is bad for them but can't quit.

Letting them ruin their mental health on (and be traumatised by what they’ve seen on) social media.

I think my daughters will probably decide not to work full time, so they don’t inflict stress-induced rage on their kids and leave them to be bored in the summer holidays like I’ve had to.

They’ll go back to a more sensible traditional pattern where children actually get prioritised instead of their needs representing just more endless tasks - or I would if I were them.

Not us but the blended family. The fact that so many kids have had childhoods split between parents or stuck in with some other unrelated kids. I would be hopping mad if this was my childhood.

Another one - childhood obesity. So your lack of ability to parent correctly in the most basic way - providing correct nourishment - has given me lifelong health problems as well as me looking less than my best.

Your denial of the school weigh-in report and looking for solutions like generous-sized clothing ranges instead of acknowledging and tackling the problem.

I’d be raging - especially if you stuck me in a blended family as well (see other post.)
Vs your childhood with a mum and dad who prioritised your needs and were strong enough to say no…

Yes and concentrating on things that just don't matter like school uniforms,

Definitely Brexit.

Allowing AI to get out of control.

Childhood influencers

Being totally and utterly enmeshed with them. There’s gonna be a LOT of fucked up adults from that generation because mummy and daddy couldn’t let go. Mummy made everything about her….. dance comps, football matches, anything to reflect well on her on social media. Me, me, me. I already shudder at some potential future mother in laws out there. I have teens sons and a daughter.

I love them but I do have my own life and identity.

Letting 10 year olds go on WhatsApp then being bewildered by toxic, bullying conversations.

I had a career mum. Was alone in the holidays. Hated it. Blended family, hated it.

As a result I’ve always worked term time only and I would never subject them to a blended family. You have to pretend you’re happy about the set up as a kid and teen so you don’t offend your parents but it’s utterly shite. You can’t dress it up.

Agree with the over sharing on social media.

Also, not just AI itself but I've noticed a certain eyerollyness from the young about older generations gullibility regarding social media/AI videos. I think a lot of millennials worry about their children being addicted to social media and about their parents being misled by AI. Whereas gen Alpha accuse us (unfairlyIMO) of being addicted to social media and very easily fooled by AI. My 11 year old solemnly explained to me that a lot of videos aren't real and it's hard for people my age to spot so I needed to be careful not to get scammed. Apparently him and his friends discuss this as a concern they have about their parents. Annoying.

Very much agree about the environment

Not sending them to school. Not encouraging work ethics and independence and problem solving. Not nurturing resilience. Medicalising and dramatising perfectly normal human feelings and emotions.