what do you think is wrong with teens these days?

Question

or more specifically, what has changed about them over the years?

i forgot to mention that i am a teen myself.

Answer 1

Parenting has changed, not teens. Children are a product of their upbringing.
Some changes are for the better but not all. More marriages end in separation, more women are in the workforce and technology has allowed children to become more worldly much earlier. All kinds of things that were once unacceptable are common place now, violence, bad language, premarrital sex etc. Children have more power than once before and they know it. On the other hand things that have always gone on behind closed doors are now brought out into the open as a result of these changes.
Pregnant teens arent sent away to have their babies stolen from them just to save face for the family, women in abusive relationships have the power and the right to leave the relationship, etc. There always has been and always will be rebelious teens that fight the law or their parents, it is how some yougsters learn, by making mistakes instead of being sheltered from them, only time will tell if todays teens really do grow to become tomorrows future that does not mean it will neccessarily be a bleak one.

Answer 2

I think your teens are probably the same as my teens were (I am 29). I don't think that the changes are about the kids as much as what is expected of them by the education system and society and how parents are dealing with it while considering their own teenage years. There have always been the teen factors of peer pressure, the desire to experiment, the feeling of knowing it all and not wanting to be controlled. Those are normal feelings but society is changing and requiring much more after learning that what was done in the past just didn't always work. In my opinion, this generation are guinea pigs to the previous bad choices made by parents and the educational system.

I think I turned out well but I didn't give in to a lot of what I was presented with in my teens and only because I saw what those bad choices made for the lives of my siblings and friends, but not all of my peers had that advantage and made some really bad choices. That is why things are changing.

Don't let it get you down...remember people have been the same in some way for many decades but society is just trying to make the childhood years a little less problematic than the past. It's our way of progressing into a more valuable society. Someday you might be president and it would be best if you weren't like Bush or some of our other crappy presidents.

Answer 3

Nothing !
Most teens that I come across have been great, well rounded, smart kids.

In some cases - INACTIVE PARENTING, parents that are "too busy" with their own life to be concerned about what and how their own kids are doing, that to me is a major cause for kids to go in the wrong direction.

Some kids with awesome parents, of coarse, will still end up going down the wrong road.
(I was kind of one of those !),

And, there is always going to be the spoiled rotten kids that get everything they want, and don't have to earn any of it. These are the kids that I worry about.

Growing up has always been hard for some, and it always will be.

Do it right
Do it fast
Be the best
Be an athlete
Have nice things
Wear cool clothes
Be Popular or Fit in
Get good grades - and so on....

A lot of pressure has been put on today's teens. We need to support and encourage them to do well in life.

Answer 4

I don't think there is any thing wrong with teens today, its societies attitude towards young people.

I was always taught to get respect you have to give it.

Most young people have respect for people if treated with respect.

Parents have had a lot of there rights taken away from them, and feel helpless when their teens are not towing the line.
When they ask for help or support they are largely ignored, as is the teens when they seek help to deal with stressed out, some times over protective parents.

Society expects young people to be mature, responsible and have a job. When you turn 16 you have to pay adult fares on buses, planes and in restaurants etc. When you turn 18, you can vote, get your car licence and drink alcohol (Aussie) but your not an adult until 21.

A job is very difficult to get with out experience or qualifications, these days. 20 years ago qualifications were not as important, and there were more jobs too. If your a teen today and lucky enough to have a job your wages are rather poor, again reflecting you tender years. Yes experience and qualifications are important, but young people need to be paid fairly.

Today there is more of a variety of drugs and availability, and drugs are much easier to get.

As a teen I did not know where to get any drugs, let alone whom to ask. Yet my daughter would be able to find some if she asked around, she said, she is asked if she wants any drugs at pubs etc when out all the time.

Teens don't tend to listen, and it is really hard to get them to realise the dangers of drugs, alcohol and sex with out protection. But if taught from an early age the perils of drugs etc, both from parents and schools it may help.

I vaguely remember I thought I knew it all too, and my parents were wrong.

Some how I managed to raise me daughter, who thankfully is not into drugs & alcohol. I am sure she has tried, but I always made sure she knew she could talk to us about any thing (and she does) but if she felt unsafe when out to ring us regaurdless of the time. And half her friends rings me when in trouble.

So I guess I did some thing right, and that is LISTEN to my daughter, value her thoughts, feelings and opinions, even if I thought they maybe wrong.

Answer 5

Advertisers are targeting teens these days with sexy images and sexy music and making younger kids feel like it is cool to look older. They're trying things when they're younger because they dress and act like they're two or three years older which is a lot in 'teen years'. Plus, parents are working, leaving kids with the keys to the house. They are using that freedom to do things they know their parents won't find out about - until they have to admit they are pregnant.

Answer 6

They are lazy because they get "Rides" everywhere, when was the last time you saw a "bike rack" at a school ?

Video games- Why go out and exercise by playing "Ball", when I can sit on the couch, and mom gives me "Chef Boyardi".

Threaten to tell the school, and call the police if you spank them, (My friend's kid threatened him with this, my friend picked up the phone, put a knot in the middle of the Brat's head, and said "Hear, let me give you a reason to call" )

Work ? whats that ? If they do work a part time job, they have this scowl on their face like they are being punished. Get used to it, it's called "Growing up".

Atheist's- many kids are turning "Atheist", so when they inform you of this, look "Shocked", otherwise they get upset, run home crying, and their parents send them out for more "Therapy" !

Answer 7

Their moms and dads have stoped raising them and are allowing teachers at school, television, friends and other outside influences to raise their children. So teachers don't get support from mom and dad, they get attitude from students. They are not allowed to discipline or kick the bad kids out of high schools...when they should be able to. And the bad apples spoil the bunch. Kids think they are bullet proof, so they do stupid things. And they die or kill other people. They have a casual attitude about sex and then get pregnant or sick. They don't have a clear concept of cause and effect and are not taught to take responsibility for their own actions. Therefore, everyone is out of step with them. It's sad, really.

Answer 8

Hey, I'm not a teen anymore (20) so here goes...
Honestly, I don't think that teens are much worse than 20 years ago. They seem worse because there's more media coverage about them, but basically there isn't much change, only more exposure of problems.

Answer 9

I don't think there's that much wrong with them. I have two teenage daugthers and they are fab, so are most of their friends. OK some teenagers have issues, but they did when I was a teenager too. If anything there seems to be a lack of social responsibility but you can't blame the teenagers for that, it's the parents job to teach that

Answer 10

there's nothing wrong,its just that teens these days are so aggressive wanted to learn many things even beyond limit. its because of the environment these days,entertainment and people around Lil bit crazy,i think.discipline now adays is just a word only.