What can Young People teach us?

 Let’s Learn

 

From the time we are born, we learn how to sit, crawl, stand, walk, and talk. Then we learn from school, from our parents, from tuition, and from friends and peers. It never ends.

As long as you learn the positive, you’re good. You might even learn a few lessons from your mistakes.

On this learning journey, is there anything that we might learn from Gen Z and the millennials that we interact with, or are they just 'young and restless' in need of guidance? 

Well, there might be stuff that we learn from them. The millennial and Gen Z children that I’m a parent to have taught me a few life lessons.

 

Resilience

They are a resilient lot. They suffer from peer pressure, academic stress, and job loss, but more often than not, they find a way out and bounce back, sharper and more determined.

 

Quiet Perseverance

 “You must never disclose your plans,” says my twenty-six-year-old. Let the task be accomplished, and then shout it from the rooftops.

 

Honesty is the best policy.

Honest and forthright, they have no qualms about pointing out what is wrong. Young people value transparency even when it's uncomfortable. They remind us that honesty is the best policy.

 

Questions

Unlike older generations who accepted and obeyed, the present-day youth are full of questions. They question systems, traditions, religious beliefs, and even authority. They want to know the why, what, when, and how of everything. Progress, they believe, is born of curiosity.

Digital Prowess

Today’s youth are equipped with an enviable digital prowess. Navigating technology is a piece of cake for them. Let’s keep learning as they do, be it technology or life lessons.

 

Networking inclusivity

Most young people, including my offspring, have a fairly large network of genuine friends who are a major source of support. On a recent holiday, a friend of my son gladly hosted my husband and me for a couple of days in the apartment that she shared with two other girls. She even cooked for us. Her heartwarming gesture quite touched us. They build communities across borders and cultures, and that is something that we older generations can embrace more fully.

 

Mental Health

Young people are more aware of mental health issues and are quite vocal about burnout, therapy, and self-care. This again is something the older generations can emulate rather than keep up appearances.

 

Young people may not have it altogether, but the best teachers are not always the older ones.

This post is my entry  for the Blogchatter weekly prompt

Image credit: Pixabay and Freepik