Most of us have probably had to listen to some form of the “when I was your age” speech from a parent or grandparent, whether it’s on the occasion of a petty complaint or just a simple comparison of the times. 

And no matter what the specific example may be, the point they’re trying to make is that kids in previous generations were more independent. They played outside on their own, walked to school, and were essentially left to their own devices past their teenage years. The label “snowflake generation” comes to mind, implying that we are less equipped to face “real-world” challenges.

Exaggerated?  Perhaps, but not without a grain of truth.

The problem? A lot of younger kids in my generation and beyond will never have the opportunity to experience that same sort of independence. The invisible line drawn between a child’s freedom and their neglect seems to get thinner.

As a member of Generation Z, I was raised by Generation X parents — a gap of about thirty years. Issues that cause parents to worry are relatively similar between then and now, and the primary concern has and always will be safety. However, when taking into account certain significant historical events that defined the time period, the differences between generations grow clearer. For instance, a few of my teachers last year said that they grew up in an economically depressed time period, which is true. The 70s were marked by stagflation — high unemployment and inflation levels, giving rise to a generation of largely self-reliant and tough kids.

Parenting has also definitely taken on a more involved role since then. Raising a child is no longer seen as solely a mother’s responsibility as it had been for generations past. The increased presence of dads taking on larger roles in a child’s development means that more care is ultimately received by the child. I’ve noticed that even compared to when I was younger, a lot of parents with elementary or middle-school-age children seem to be more invested in seemingly every aspect of their child’s life. 

I’ve witnessed this firsthand, and it came as quite a surprise to me that it would be within my own generation. As a senior on the Rowing Team, I’m more than familiar with the way practices and races run, so my parents don’t have much to get “used to” anymore, if at all. My freshman year, our coach used the Remind app, and updates were sent via text to us. Rarely did I see a parent reply all to any email; for the most part, my teammates and I figured it out by ourselves. This year, all of the parents and rowers were added to an app that allows anyone to ask questions in a chat section. More than three-quarters of the messages are from parents asking about the same, previously answered, relatively small details that I think would be quite easy to find out.

Some parents definitely take it too far. With the overwhelming emphasis on youth sports today, the path to success starts at a young age. Over the summer, a fight broke out at a Colorado youth baseball game over a call by the umpire — who was 13 years old. The fight wasn’t between the kids, though, as the video graphically and disgustingly displays. When parents try to insert themselves into an event enjoyable for their kids and turn it into a massive ordeal, like this baseball game, it’s time to admit that something significant has been lost.

The issue is not unrelated to students’ lives here.  In an increasingly competitive workforce, where the percentage of Americans with college degrees steadily climbs every year, effects of helicopter parenting and academic peer pressure arise. Especially here at NA, many students are pushed to take challenging classes and participate in multiple extra-curriculars, adding extra stress to their lives. 

With all of these factors, it makes sense that kids today seem to exhibit less independence than their elders did. But frankly, it is an unfair comparison to suggest that we are weaker simply because we weren’t raised under the same circumstances. The ultimate goal of parenting is to provide what the adults feel is most necessary for their child within the constraints of the current era.

Times change.

But let’s hope the bad behavior of certain parents can.