# Why do kids have it harder today? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [May 17, 2006, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-kids-have-it-harder-today/357121 "2006-05-17T16:42:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2006, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-kids-have-it-harder-today/357121/21 "2006-05-20T18:56:11Z")
> [@Strinka](#): > > Well, if you’re to believe my dad (which I do, for the most part), we (the teens now) are going to have a much worse time as adults. What with oil running out, the increasing gap between the upper and lower classes (and disappearance of the middle), and America slowly becoming a fascist state. I don’t know about all that, but IMHO, kids today are going to have a much worse time as adults. Kids today have it pretty good now. Almost a little too good. For the most part, they aren’t wanting for any material possession and thier parents are quick to run to their defense whenever they receive a poor grade, get cut from the school team, have a bad day in college or in some cases even when they get a poor job evaluation. Most of the literature I’ve read on “Millenials” or “Gen Y” seem to indicate that they are enthusiastic but fragile. They have unrealistic demands of what their careers should be like and don’t believe in “paying their dues” which is always necessary when learning a new job. > [@Anne Neville](#): > > I’ve also heard that kids aren’t growing up until later in life- more of them are living at home with their parents after college, for example. Much of the literature I’ve read indicates that this is also true. People are taking longer to move out of their parents home, find careers, get married, have kids, or purchase homes. Some of this is due to economics however I think a large part of it is a desire to avoid responsibility and live in this post-adolescent state. This makes sense because if you take away a persons childhood with constant pressure to succeed and rigorously structured activities, they will have their period of play and no responsibility later in life. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2006, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-kids-have-it-harder-today/357121/22 "2006-05-23T02:04:23Z")
Kids dont have it harder merely differerent. Harder is the term you chose to use. Many kids have it easier. years ago a college education was not an option for most people. Probably because there was a market and a use for an uneducated work force. There was plenty of opportunity live a comfortable o life without it. The jobs ,however could be ugly. When you worked in a factory you earned your money. We had a threat of the abomb being dropped on us. Not theoretically but real. We had drills weekly when we were led into fall out shelters to wait for the end of the world. We had drills to sit under our desks to await atomic incineration.We didnt have great amounts of spendable income. No malls ,no video games no internet. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2006, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-kids-have-it-harder-today/357121/23 "2006-05-23T02:41:56Z")
> [@spingears](#): > > Unless one wishes to end up in academia I would suggest a 50/50 co-op education. End up with both a degree and experience in the field of your choice. Graduates of such programs have a head start with businesses and industries. Kind of like an internship? I think there should be some sort of professional apprenticeships out there. That’d be much fun and useful, too. ---
**Author:** ![Merhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@Merhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merhouse)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2006, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-kids-have-it-harder-today/357121/24 "2006-05-23T02:55:27Z")
> [@FisherQueen](#): > > As a kid, I’d play outside all day, all summer, virtually unsupervised. My friends and I would walk to the neighborhood pool and hang out there all day. We’d visit old ladies in the neighborhood who had a reputation for stockpiling candy. My only scheduled activity was one piano lesson per week, and that was a lot more scheduled activities than most of my friends. > > No one worried that I might get kidnapped or assaulted, and the possibility never occurred to me. I got exercise and fresh air, and lots of imaginative play. > > I think mine was the last generation to grow up like that, and I feel sorry for my students, most of whom don’t really get much of any time when they’re not supervised and told what to do by teachers or parents. I fear they’ll grow up to be less able to think, innovate, and solve problems. > > But I’m sure it’ll all work out okay. The human race has thrived this long, and it’ll keep going, I reckon. Thank you for saying this better than I could have. Maybe part of it **is** nostalgia, but I was a basic latch-key kid whose mother didn’t work. She was always out doing something community oriented, yet was always home to put dinner on the table. I walked almost a mile to elementary school, nobody worried about being safe – there were groups of us all together, and there just seemed to not be any question about being alone, lost, whatever. You could go to just about any house in the neighborhood, even someone you didn’t know, and they would help you because you were a kid who needed help. And nope, this wasn’t Mayberry. It was Long Island, a suburb of the Big Bad NYC. In the 50’s and 60’s. I’ve lived in the same place now for almost 25 years. Other than 2 neighbors who have been here longer than I, I wouldn’t recognize any of my neighbors if I fell over them. This is progress? I dunno. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2006, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-kids-have-it-harder-today/357121/25 "2006-05-23T03:06:37Z")
> [@Merhouse](#): > > Thank you for saying this better than I could have. Maybe part of it **is** nostalgia, but I was a basic latch-key kid whose mother didn’t work. She was always out doing something community oriented, yet was always home to put dinner on the table. I walked almost a mile to elementary school, nobody worried about being safe – there were groups of us all together, and there just seemed to not be any question about being alone, lost, whatever. You could go to just about any house in the neighborhood, even someone you didn’t know, and they would help you because you were a kid who needed help. And nope, this wasn’t Mayberry. It was Long Island, a suburb of the Big Bad NYC. In the 50’s and 60’s. > > I’ve lived in the same place now for almost 25 years. Other than 2 neighbors who have been here longer than I, I wouldn’t recognize any of my neighbors if I fell over them. > > This is progress? I dunno. We seem to be unable to pry Truth from Nostalgia. Kids now are incredibly happy they’re kids now. News and Fear get in your head. When you’re a kid, you don’t care about the news, so you don’t get the scary stories. I’m not buying it at all. People are too jaded in their own times. People always think theirs is better. My mother argues that it was best when she was a kid. Old history teachers will tell you the '50s were the best and an age of innocence. Bullshit. We’ve got WAY too limited a scope to even start talking about this. You people are letting fear seep its way into your perceptions. Trouble is everywhere if you’re looking for it. The converse of that is also true. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2006, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-kids-have-it-harder-today/357121/26 "2006-05-23T03:26:55Z")
Its the news. We air a sensational story every day. it makes you think it is more dangerous out there. The crime rate has been in a steady decline for years. Do people believe it. Sexual predatators are all over tv sweeps week. Ask your kids how easy it is to recognize. They will think you insult them. A few years ago we were worried because of the violent video games. They were making our chilren violent and news and tv blasted us with it. I didnt believe it was a real problem. Finally after my wifes nagging about me talking to my son about ,I didd. he looked at me like I was retarded and said Dat they are just pixels on a tv screen. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2006, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-kids-have-it-harder-today/357121/27 "2006-05-23T03:47:54Z")
Your typos have no place in **Great Debates**. I should just reach over and poke your stomach. There. I just did it. That should learn you, Old One. ---
**Author:** ![treis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@treis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/treis)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2006, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-kids-have-it-harder-today/357121/28 "2006-05-23T04:03:56Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > I don’t know about all that, but IMHO, kids today are going to have a much worse time as adults. Kids today have it pretty good now. Almost a little too good. For the most part, they aren’t wanting for any material possession and thier parents are quick to run to their defense whenever they receive a poor grade, get cut from the school team, have a bad day in college or in some cases even when they get a poor job evaluation. Most of the literature I’ve read on “Millenials” or “Gen Y” seem to indicate that they are enthusiastic but fragile. They have unrealistic demands of what their careers should be like and don’t believe in “paying their dues” which is always necessary when learning a new job. You’re painting with a ridiculously large brush here, and this has been pointed out to you time and time again. First off, your analysis is incredibly biased towards rich suburbia. There are very few parents in the ghetto rushing to argue about grades or with the coach who cuts them from a sports team. Lets talk about the ghetto. Kids nowadays (Say born from 90) have to deal with the modern gang and the crack cocaine epidemic. A kid growing up in the '70s didn’t have to worry about being shot in a driveby shooting, or being beat for wearing the wrong color. They didn’t have to worry about the devestating effects of crack cocaine on the family and life in the city. They have to deal with all that crap, shitty schools, and are still expected to have many more skills for the work place than their predacessors. It’s also amusing that you say that parent **s** rush to their kid’s defense when 40% or so of kids are being born into single parent homes. It might be true that you are seeing instinces of what you say, but there is no way that is what the majority of kids today experience. ---
**Author:** ![Dob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Dob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dob)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2006, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-kids-have-it-harder-today/357121/29 "2006-05-23T15:30:04Z")
I was 10 in 1980, so the 80’s were “my time” as a kid. I wouldn’t exchange that time for now ever. Yeah, kids have alot more “things” now then I did then, but they have lost alot more too. With the 24 hour new cycle, information at your fingertips, it looks to an outsider like kids while maybe not maturing faster, seem to be growing up faster. They are all too aware of drugs, pedophiles, kidnappers…etc. We did have the threat of an all out war with Russia, but it just didnt seem real to me then. During my summers as a kid I was out from 10am until 7pm pretty much every day. We would walk/ride miles to the local arcade and hang out for hours, or just play outside, go to the pool etc… I just dont see that today. Of course im not a kid, so I probably wouldnt notice it even if I did. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2006, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-kids-have-it-harder-today/357121/30 "2006-05-23T17:28:53Z")
> [@Argent Towers](#): > > \*\*Lissa \*\* is right on the money. > > Look in the classifieds section of your local newspaper for job ads. You’ll see a whole plethora of skilled labor jobs, things like HVAC technicians or lighting installers or paint coating inspectors or welders. While the rest of the kids are busting their asses in college studying things that may not have any application to their lives whatsoever, a young person can go to trade school and then start making actual money. These jobs pay good money. There’s no shame in them. Learn certain trades and you will always be employable no matter where you go. Certain people would fare far better by pursuing this path than by going to college. I have a customer, a medium-sized trucking firm, where the drivers all make more than any of the managers. Or me, for that matter, and I make good money. ---
**Author:** ![Merhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@Merhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merhouse)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2006, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-kids-have-it-harder-today/357121/31 "2006-05-23T19:12:06Z")
> [@Least Original User Name Ever](#): > > We seem to be unable to pry Truth from Nostalgia. Kids now are incredibly happy they’re kids now. > > News and Fear get in your head. When you’re a kid, you don’t care about the news, so you don’t get the scary stories. > > I’m not buying it at all. People are too jaded in their own times. People always think theirs is better. My mother argues that it was best when she was a kid. Old history teachers will tell you the '50s were the best and an age of innocence. > > Bullshit. > > We’ve got WAY too limited a scope to even start talking about this. You people are letting fear seep its way into your perceptions. Trouble is everywhere if you’re looking for it. The converse of that is also true. You may be right. Since I don’t have any kids, I don’t really know what it’s like to be a kid today. ::shrug:: ---
**Author:** ![Autumn\_Almanac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d26b3c/32.png) [@Autumn\_Almanac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autumn_Almanac)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2006, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-kids-have-it-harder-today/357121/32 "2006-05-23T19:51:12Z")
> [@Anne Neville](#): > > I really don’t like the way some people try to pressure teenagers by telling them they won’t get into college if they don’t take all honors classes, have extracurricular activities out the wazoo, etc. Not that those aren’t good things to do, but somebody should be telling those kids that not all colleges are so selective, and that it’s not the end of the world if you don’t get into one of the ones that does insist on that kind of thing. Agreed. It seems like _Newsweek_ runs a cover story every few weeks about the “cutthroat” college admissions process. Makes it seem as if there are only a few good spots and kids are fighting tooth-and-nail to get them, because if they don’t they’re _doomed_ (bwahaha!). I don’t see the point except to scare kids and sell more test prep books. But stuff like that contributes to the impression that modern kids have these terrible, impossibly stressful lives. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2006, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-kids-have-it-harder-today/357121/33 "2006-05-23T20:35:49Z")
> [@treis](#): > > You’re painting with a ridiculously large brush here, and this has been pointed out to you time and time again. First off, your analysis is incredibly biased towards rich suburbia. There are very few parents in the ghetto rushing to argue about grades or with the coach who cuts them from a sports team. Why don’t you tell us about the ghetto then? > [@wm--](#): > > … It seems like _Newsweek_ runs a cover story every few weeks about the “cutthroat” college admissions process. Makes it seem as if there are only a few good spots and kids are fighting tooth-and-nail to get them, because if they don’t they’re _doomed_ (bwahaha!). I don’t see the point except to scare kids and sell more test prep books. But stuff like that contributes to the impression that modern kids have these terrible, impossibly stressful lives. The reason for that is that it’s very competitive to get into the top programs so you can get a high paying job in high finance, law, medicine or other prestige professions. It’s no longer ok to just have a “regular” job as a fireman, teacher or plumber. Or at least that’s my theory. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2006, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-kids-have-it-harder-today/357121/34 "2006-05-23T22:25:53Z")
This argument is very suburban and white. people living in the city have a much harder life. Their usefulness to industry is gone and they are being swept away. programs designed to keep them placated are being dismantled. Unemployment is rampant schools are substandard and hope for a better life is diminished. ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2006, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-kids-have-it-harder-today/357121/35 "2006-05-23T22:49:16Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > The reason for that is that it’s very competitive to get into the top programs so you can get a high paying job in high finance, law, medicine or other prestige professions. Going to one of those colleges doesn’t guarantee a job like that. Not going to one of those colleges doesn’t guarantee you won’t get a job like that, either. [Sergey Brin](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sergey_Brin#Education) didn’t go to an Ivy League school, and he’s doing all right. For that matter, Bill Gates dropped out of college, as did Larry Ellison. And then there are the uncounted thousands of people who went to less competitive universities, got degrees (or not), are working in jobs that manage to pay the bills and allow for a few luxuries, and are fairly happy with their lives overall. Not getting into an Ivy League school as an undergrad certainly _doesn’t_ guarantee that you won’t get into one of the best schools in your field for graduate school. I know physics majors from the University of Maryland who got into Caltech’s physics or astronomy programs. I went to one of the top five astronomy grad programs in the country, and most of my fellow grad students there had come from colleges I’d never heard of. You’re not doomed if you don’t get into a highly competitive college, kids, no matter what anyone tries to tell you. ---
**Author:** ![ITR\_champion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c67d28/32.png) [@ITR\_champion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ITR_champion)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2006, 9:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-kids-have-it-harder-today/357121/36 "2006-05-24T09:51:43Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > It’s no longer ok to just have a “regular” job as a fireman, teacher or plumber. Or at least that’s my theory. As threads like this frequently involve attempts to declare what “is no longer ok”, I’ve often wondered what exactly is no longer ok about it. Plainly it’s legal, economically feasible, and in most circles socially acceptable to be a fireman, teacher, or plumber. Where’s the recent lack of okay? There are some social circles where people would sneer at lower-middle-class jobs, but that’s hardly news. Many doctors now may be of the opinion that their children ought to become doctors (or something comparable), but that was true fifty years ago. Is the percentage of people who demand that their children be doctors higher now than it was in the good old days? I have yet to see evidence of that. Plainly children are materially better off now than ever before. They’re safer, healthier, wealthier, and have more choices in almost every area. Thus, those who want to view children as permanent victims have to move to vague, non-material means of victimization: stress, social pressure, and the like. This viewpoint fails to account for the fact that children are individuals , capable of leading their own lives and making their own decisions, and fully capable of dealing with problems. Let’s say that Harold Smith, M.D., demands that Harold Smith Jr. also become a doctor. If Jr. wants to be a doctor and has the brains and persistence to handle the education process, then he’ll become a doctor. Otherwise, he’ll choose a different path, regardless of what Harold Smith, M.D. tries to push him into. ---
**Author:** ![Dob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Dob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dob)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2006, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-kids-have-it-harder-today/357121/37 "2006-05-24T16:01:57Z")
> [@](#): > > This argument is very suburban and white. people living in the city have a much harder life Your statement is very urban and ethnic! Ever been to Appalachia? Coal towns in W.VA? Grant it, those areas comprise a smaller number of people so on a graph it might look like cities are “harder” for kids, but the reality is that “urban” life is no harder than any other life that offers little opportunity, is poor, and the job market is miniscule. ---
**Author:** ![solkoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/919ad9/32.png) [@solkoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solkoe)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2006, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-kids-have-it-harder-today/357121/38 "2006-05-24T16:54:45Z")
> [@Pochacco](#): > > It’s harder for kids today in some ways, easier in others. I’m 42. From what I’ve seen kids today work harder in school than we did, but they’re better educated too. They’re more tightly regulated, but they’re also better protected. Kids don’t work harder in school. What makes you think so? I have been a teacher for almost 20 years. The reasons are simple. Too many distractions!! Want a list? ipods work boyfriends/sex girlfriends/sex video games 100 channel television easy access to cash When I was young, I knew education was my ticket somewhere. I worked hard. In my town, kids get jobs at 14. They’re working 20 hours a week making significant cash. What do you think this does to their perception of school? When I was young we didn’t have video games. These are prime time wasters that teach absolutely no skills (except for possible SIM games). If any parents are reading this and have children with Xboxes etc. please limit their time on them. Get them outside playing games where they are learning social and problem solving skills. Anyway, the message from all these distractions is that you can make money and still have fun. The stuff you learn in school isn’t helping them in their work life. I’ve heard in a hundered times, “I don’t need to learn this to get a job.” Most adults know the reality. You do need to learn skills to get the job you want. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2006, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-kids-have-it-harder-today/357121/39 "2006-05-24T20:31:45Z")
> [@ITR champion](#): > > As threads like this frequently involve attempts to declare what “is no longer ok”, I’ve often wondered what exactly is no longer ok about it. Plainly it’s legal, economically feasible, and in most circles socially acceptable to be a fireman, teacher, or plumber. I guess because it’s too “ordinary”. Parents want their kids to be doctors and high-powered lawyers. And they put that pressure on their kids at a very early age. > [@Anne Neville](#): > > You’re not doomed if you don’t get into a highly competitive college, kids, no matter what anyone tries to tell you. Depends what you mean by “doomed”. Forgetting annecdotal cases like the Bill Gates etc of the world, there is a strong correlation between financial success and the prestige of the college you go to. Yes, you can earn a comfortible living and most people probably do. But as I mentioned above, a lot of parents think their kids should be doing better than just a 9-5 job. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2006, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-kids-have-it-harder-today/357121/40 "2006-05-24T20:41:26Z")
So, what are the point sof contention now? Life as a kid is pretty easy and fun, now matter what age (if you ask people about their childhood). What’s the use in quantifying them? We’re going to find a number that backs up what we feel and champion that number as a unit that shows how we’re right. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-kids-have-it-harder-today/357121.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-kids-have-it-harder-today/357121.md?page=3)