Why Generation Z Gives Us Hope (Even When They Drive Us Nuts)

If you have a teenager or a college-aged kid, you know the drill. Nothing is accepted at face value. Every rule, lesson, or life skill must be explained, justified, and possibly backed by a peer-reviewed study before they even consider it.Professors are figuring this out too. They’ve realized that lecturing doesn’t work unless they can explain exactly why the information matters. And honestly? Parents have known this forever. Conversations often go something like this:

• Can you please  clean your room? "Why should I? It’s my space."

• Did you finish your math homework on imaginary numbers? "When am I ever going to use this in real life?"

• Stop playing games and go to sleep! "Actually, Mom, studies show that teens have a shifted circadian rhythm..."

We aren’t in the information age anymore—Gen Z is in the "Yeah, but what’s the point?" Age. They have access to endless knowledge at their fingertips, so if we want them to listen, we need to connect learning to something they actually care about.

If You Want a Teen to Listen, You Have to Actually Listen First

💡 Professors found that students engage more in discussions than in traditional lectures. Groundbreaking! I jest. 💡 Turns out, if you treat a teen like a human and listen to their thoughts, they are more likely to listen back. Who knew?!

 Parent|Caregiver Coaching Notes

✅ Ditch the “How was school?” question. (You will get the one-word answer: “Fine.”) Instead, try: “What’s the weirdest/funniest/most annoying thing that happened today?”
✅ Resist the urge to immediately fix everything. Sometimes they just want to vent. If you jump in with “Well, have you tried making a to-do list?”, you’ll get an eye-roll so big it could cause a minor earthquake.
✅ Make them teach you. If they’re struggling with something, ask them to explain it to you. (Bonus: This secretly helps them learn it better, but shhh, don’t tell them.)

Gen Z Feels Immense Pressure to Be Perfect—Because Social Media is a Lie

Social media has turned teen perfectionism into an extreme sport. Every day they scroll through highlight reels of other people’s perfect test scores, flawless outfits, and overachieving productivity routines. Meanwhile, they’re sitting there in mismatched socks, eating cereal at 2 PM, and wondering why their life doesn’t look like that. 💡 Professors have found that using role-playing and creative activities helps Gen Z students relax and learn without the crushing weight of perfectionism. Parents can do the same.

Parent|Caregiver Coaching Notes

✅  Praise effort, not just results. Instead of “Did you get an A?”, try “What’s something interesting you learned today?” (Even if the answer is "Nothing, but my teacher’s dog was in the Zoom call and that was cool.")
✅ Tell them about your own failures. Teens need to hear that you didn’t have it all figured out at 16. Or 21. Or maybe even now sometimes. (Failing forward is okay sometimes right?)
✅ Encourage fun, no-pressure hobbies. Not everything has to be a college application booster. Let them skateboard, doodle, or attempt a weird DIY project with zero expectations.

Teens Respect Authenticity More Than Authority (Which is… Both Great and Terrifying?)

💡 Gen Z doesn’t care about titles, degrees, or credentials. They care about whether you’re real with them. If you act like a know-it-all, they tune out. If you’re open and honest, they listen.This is both great (they’re independent thinkers!) and terrifying (because you can’t just say “Because I said so” and expect compliance anymore).

Parent/Caregiver Coaching Notes

✅ Admit when you don’t know something. (They will Google it anyway.) Instead, say, “Good question, let’s figure it out together.”
✅ Be open about your own struggles. If you pretend adulthood is easy, they’ll never learn how to navigate challenges.
✅ Show enthusiasm for learning. If they see you getting excited about a new book, skill, or hobby, they might actually (gasp) follow your lead.

My Final Thoughts

This article reveals that Gen Z students are not lazy or disinterested—they just think and learn differently. They value purpose, creativity, and real-world connections. Parents who have teens that are (Generation Alpha)  can use these insights to better support their teens by:
✅  Encouraging curiosity and explaining why learning matters.
✅  Listening and engaging in real conversations.
✅ Helping them manage the pressure to be perfect.
✅ Being authentic and open about their own learning journey.
✅ Using creative, engaging ways to make learning fun and meaningful.
✅ Connecting school to real-world experiences and career goals.

Sure, they challenge authority. They ask way too many questions. They demand explanations for everything.

But guess what? That’s a good thing.

They’re curious, independent thinkers who want real, meaningful connections. They care about fairness, authenticity, and mental health. They’re shaping a future that values transparency, creativity, and inclusivity.

So yeah, they might drive us a little nuts. But they’re also pretty amazing.

💡 And if all else fails, just remind them that you still know how to reset the WiFi. 😉

Why Generation Z Gives this Generation Hope by Beth McMurthie, Senior Writer at the Chronicle of Higher Education, 19 December 2024