Not often sharing David Brooks, but this was an interesting read, especially the idea that Gen Z is the "safest" generation in terms of general physical safety-wise (half the emergency room visits of prior generations) and the idea that experience-wise 18-year-old Gen Z's are comparable to 14-year-old Gen Xers.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/04/opinion/gen-z-adulthood.html

This kind of rang true to me because my 19-year-old college niece seems way sooo young me and seems much more like my 12 year olds then compared to what I was getting into as college freshman. She could be fooling us all but for a girl who loves sharing every detail of her life boys and alcohol are not a big part of it.


Then there is this whole thing about how sad and depressed these kids are. Nothing has impacted more about my strategy for raising my kids lately then reading this:

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/23/health/mental-health-crisis-teens.html

And just a couple of days ago I read this story about this trend called School Refusal where kids just refuse to go to school:

https://www.usatoday.com/in-depth/news/health/2023/05/15/school-avoidance-becomes-crisis-after-covid/11127563002/


I have a co-worker who I am always talking about strategies for getting kids into college and I told him recently my number #1 strategy is to raise happy healthy kids and the rest will fall into place.

Anyway, I've been making a whats up with the kids post as I watch my kids growing up and watching these national trends.

What are you seeing?


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"Everyone has a plan until you punch them in the face. Then they don't have a plan anymore." (c) Mike Tyson

"what's a leader if he isn't reluctant"