08/21/2025
Kids today aren’t worse. They’re not lazy, ungrateful, or “addicted to their phones.” They’re just different—because the world that raised them is different. They’re growing up in a time of chaos—social media pressure, constant comparison, online bullying, and the never-ending demand to be “perfect.” And in the middle of all this noise, they often feel completely alone.
They sit in their rooms, staring at screens. Not because they prefer it. Not because it’s better than talking. But because there’s no one to talk to. Their parents are always busy. Tired. Preoccupied with work, responsibilities, and stress. Every now and then they might hear a rushed, “How was your day?” or get treated to something cool—a new gadget, a trip, or a pair of sneakers. And parents think: “They’re good. My kid has everything.”
But they don’t have you. Your full attention. Your presence. Your “Tell me how you’re really feeling.” Because love can’t be replaced by the newest iPhone or a vacation. What your child really needs is you.
They need connection. They need you to sit beside them and ask, “What’s going on?”—and actually mean it. They need you to put your phone down, look them in the eyes, and truly listen. Because if you don’t, someone else will. And that “someone” might not have good intentions. It might be a stranger online who says all the right things: “I get you.” It might be a friend group that demands they change just to belong. Or it might be the anonymous cruelty of the internet, following them from school to home, to bed, to the buzzing phone under their pillow.
Kids today are growing up under pressure and under a microscope. Every post, every comment, every selfie is open for judgment. Every vulnerability is an invitation for ridicule. And the worst part? There’s no escape. Bullying doesn’t end when the school bell rings. It follows them home.
And you? You might think, “Well, they’re not complaining, so everything must be fine.” But kids don’t always say it when they’re
