cross-posted from: https://feddit.dk/post/9969468
From the article:
Risky play is associated with greater resilience, self-confidence, problem-solving and social skills such as cooperation, negotiation and empathy, according to studies by Sandseter and others. When a study in Leuven, Belgium, gave four- and six-year-olds just two hours a week of opportunities for risky play over the course of three months, their risk-assessment skills improved compared with those of children in a control group2. In this study, the risky play took place at school, in a gym class and in the classroom.
Between the school system, parents and social media, GenZ is the wussiest, lock stepping, conformist, risk-adverse generation of all time.
“Gosh! What if I get in trouble?”
“Heavens me! What if I’m criticized on social media?”
“What if I’m told no?!”
Fuck me, asked one of my best friends (22) to do a thing with me. “What if we get in trouble?” “Uh, worst possible case? Someone says ‘Stop that.’” Like being told “no” might involve cops.
There was an eye-opening reddit post about the whole thing. 12-years on reddit, that post still sticks with me. Read it. It’s all honest discussion. (Yes, it starts about social skills, read on, you’ll see what I’m getting at.)
TWO college professors chimed in saying their students would sit in the dark before class because no one had the guts to turn the lights on. “Uh, we didn’t want to stand out or get in trouble.”
You weren’t allowed to take risks. Y’all have had the world stolen from you in 1,000 ways, ways you’ll never know about.
EDIT: Reading those comments again right now. I’m 54, but my kids are 10 and 12, I weep for the youth. You’ve been fucked and think it’s just normal life.
I am a late 90s Gen Z and I am so glad that social media didn’t exist like it does now in the 00s. I am probably the last generation of kids that had the more traditional childhood where I was able to be left alone and do my own thing. My parents always encouraged me to be outside and hangout with friends. That’s what I did. My neighborhood friends and I were dicks though. We ding dong ditch houses and shit.
I am Gen Z and I don’t really know what you are talking about but generally most parents are pretty strict and most kids have helicopter parents. I wasn’t allowed to play outside as a kid beyond the porch until I inevitably started sneaking out on my bike. Parents generally try to monitor everything and are scared of anything mildly independent. Walk to the store? Get yelled at. Get to school by yourself by walking or cycling? Get yelled at. Take the city bus home? Get yelled at. I generally just ignore them but its tiring when I am just trying to live a normal life. Granted I don’t have it as bad as some. I know kids whose entire internet usage is heavily monitored and restricted as well as the usual physical restrictions.
I had so many neat adventures growing up, in part because we just got out and explored the woods behind my parents house and the neighborhood. Kinda glad I got to have a Goonies / Stranger Things existence.