Young people these days just aren’t the same as we were back in the day. They’re seen as lazy, lacking resilience, and totally clueless about how good they’ve got it. You hear this all the time from employers, teachers, and even other parents who are just as frustrated with the younger generation’s work ethic. They want young people who can be depended on to show up on time, put in the effort, and take ownership of their responsibilities.
Instead of constantly criticizing them, maybe it’s time we start asking ourselves a better question: Why are young people falling short of our expectations? Resilience isn’t something you’re born with; it’s a skill that needs to be nurtured and developed. The reality is that we might be shielding them from the very experiences that would help them build this resilience that we so desperately want to see in them.
Whether it’s in the classroom, at home, or in the workplace, we all want young people to be able to bounce back from failure, handle pressure, and show grit. But how often do we actually give them the space and opportunity to develop these skills? Schools are under immense pressure to minimize risks, ensure wellbeing, and meet certain standards, often at the expense of allowing young people to learn and grow through challenges.
Even at home, things have changed drastically. Parents nowadays track their children’s every move with smartphones, unlike the freedom we had in our youth to roam around and make mistakes. We didn’t have the constant distractions of technology back then; we had space, freedom, and yes, some risks. But we were allowed to mess up and figure things out on our own, ultimately shaping us into the capable adults we became.
As a parent myself, I know firsthand how difficult it can be to resist the urge to step in and take over when things get tough for our kids. Whether it’s picking them up instead of letting them take the bus or completing tasks for them just to save time, we’re not doing them any favors by shielding them from challenges. We might think we’re helping them in the short term, but in reality, we’re denying them the opportunity to learn valuable life lessons that come from facing adversity.
In the workplace, the story is no different. We want young people to be resilient, yet we often have little tolerance for failure. Resilience isn’t something that can be taught or demanded; it’s something that’s built through setbacks, recovery, and reflection. If we don’t give them the space to go through this process, how can we expect them to develop resilience on their own?
In conclusion, the key to raising resilient young people lies in allowing them to face challenges, make mistakes, and learn from them. It’s about valuing persistence over perfection and effort over ease. Our role as adults is not to remove every obstacle in their path but to support them as they navigate these challenges. So, the next time you feel the urge to step in and take over, remember that true growth and resilience come from facing difficulties head-on, not avoiding them.
