Times Are Changing, and are we ready ?

The world we live in is fast paced. People live to the max. Spend all they have as if there is no tomorrow. The news is full of sad stories of people with wants so much greater than what they could afford, buying simply because they wanted to. Not many have been trained in restraint, in modesty of living. On 60 Minutes the other night, they had a segment on "The "Millennials" Are Coming". I had never heard the term before. It was new to me and what they said about them, was hard to hear. The new generation raised in such a way, that they just don't seem able to deal with some of the harsher realities of life, such as, "Life isn't always fair". "Life isn't always easy." And, "You don't always get your way". Those are truisms for all mankind, in every generation. On the segment, there was this to say about this new generation..."They are called, among other things, "millennials." There are about 80 million of them, born between 1980 and 1995, and they're rapidly taking over from the baby boomers who are now pushing 60. They were raised by doting parents who told them they are special, played in little leagues with no winners or losers, or all winners. They are laden with trophies just for participating and they think your business-as-usual ethic is for the birds. And if you persist in the belief you can, take your job and shove it. ...What are some of the do's and don'ts in speaking to the generation of young workers? "You do have to speak to them a little bit like a therapist on television might speak to a patient," Salzman says, laughing. "You can't be harsh. You cannot tell them you're disappointed in them. You can't really ask them to live and breathe the company. Because they're living and breathing themselves and that keeps them very busy."
You can read the entire article here
What will happen to people of any age with this kind of mentality, when you can't just go hop in the car and go where you want to because fuel costs are so high ? Or have a house with more bedrooms than people ? Or buy the newest television or cell phone ? Food costs keep rising so more people are planting gardens but finding out its just really hard work and they need everyone in the family to help. They are going to have to make their children put down the video games and pull some weeds, but did they train them to be willing to help the family ? What happens when parents cannot sign their children up for 4 different extra curricular activities because the gas is just too expensive to drive them all these places ? Can the children handle it, can the parents handle having their children around them all afternoon ? What happens when these "Millennials" have to make a choice of a new gadget or paying rent or buying food ? If you are all into getting what you want, rent is not really fun to pay.
I think many of my generation did our children a disservice by giving them everything they wanted and sheltering them from some of the less positive aspects of life.
I can't help but wonder if life as we know it now will have to change dramatically with the rising costs of things we just took for granted. Maybe we will have to go back to things like playing games in the parlor, visiting friends on the front porch in summer. Children might learn to do things like pulling taffy and playing outside. Having a back yard that functions as more than just pretty to look at, that we grow a garden to eat from. Maybe its time now to bring in some good soil or build up what you have and plant a few things.
Save fuel and hang your clothes up instead of using a clothes dryer. Even simple things like mixing by hand instead of plugging in the mixer, saves on electricity and keeps those arm muscles healthy ! Drive to town just once a week, combine trips. Plan carefully. Be realistic and forgo the fancy markets 50 miles from home and buy local. Maybe now is the time to explain to children and grandchildren that you can't have everything you want. Have them understand the word "no" is not connected with how much you love them or in their minds, don't love them. And maybe even some wives need a few lessons in that. We want, and when we don't get, we pout and we act spoiled and we teach our children well !

Comments

Ladybug's Mom said…
Thank you so much for this post, as a high school teacher, I am well aware of the mentality of this generation. I love having a title to use to refer to them, and I worry constantly about my two little blessings developing the same mentality. We don't compliment them unless they deserve to be complimented. My son is a very gifted athlete already and the first thing we ask when signing him up for teams or clinics is "does every kid get a trophy?, because we don't condone that, we only want him recognized for what he truly deserves recognition for". My husband coaches hockey and he refuses to speak with parents regarding their kids performance, his philosophy is "if you, the player, has a problem, you need to speak respectfully to me and we will resolve it, don't send your mom to fight your battles for you." I wish more people were worried about the long term effects they are having on their kids.
Joyce said…
I saw the same 60 Minutes segment. It's funny, I live in a university town, and my own children are in their early twenties, and I actually don't see the young people as the pampered and priveliged kids they were described to be. Our university is one of the best public ones in the country and we just get such wonderful kids here, and, since it's public, they are not always extremely well off, but they are smart and hard-working. I really like them! Sure, they do unwise things sometimes, but not any more than I remember my generation doing. I'm on campus a lot, and I see them be so caring toward their friends, and concerned to do well in school. I'm hopeful.
Patty said…
Hi Joyce,
I think that as in all things, there are exceptions to every rule, even on both sides of the scale. My own children aren't like the ones described on 60 minutes but I sure know plenty that are. My childrens friends aren't like that, but they do know kids their own age with "helicopter" parents. I do know that when my husband was in the medical field and would try to hire young folks, so many of them, safe to say the majority of them, just would quit if they couldn't get a day off, or get as big a raise as they felt they deserved. They would rather go without a job then be told they couldn't get the day off.
Foxy5 said…
"Have them understand the word "no" is not connected with how much you love them"

Wow! I need to tape that one to my fridge.
JenJen said…
Excellent post. I started becoming concerned about this a few years back when a local paper ran an article about how they were going to stop using red pens to grade papers on the local schools, "because some kids' self-estemem might suffer." I was hoping that sort of stuff would not be an enduring trend.

Hopefully the level-headed kids will be the rule and the others will be the EXCEPTION.

Help us all, if not!

~The Hippie
Sonny said…
I have always tried to raise both of my children to believe they can do anything. I have also told them it is ok if they can not.
When they were in sports I refused to allow them to be on two different teams at the same time. Alot of other parents did not. When asked about why I did this I told them it was for their health,their body as well as their mind. I know kids who are physically and mentally exhausted because they have no down time.
My daughter became severely depressed after the sudden death of her lifetime friend from a brain tumor. It affected her brother greatly as well. We were going so much that I missed it. Now as a result of this WE all have slowed down. "Taking time to smell the roses" instead of flying by them so fast the blooms are a blur.
Fast paced to make money and achieve more than our parents did, pushing our children so they have more than we did is not a good idea. Yet we do this in the idea that it is for the best when it is only harming them and setting them up for the day when they are faced with complete and irreversible damage to their self-esteem and psyche.

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