Preview to the Twenties

Preview to the Twenties

One minute they’re in the schoolyard — protected and structured by adults.

Next, they’re in the adult world on their own — and the rules are different.

The school system doesn’t teach life navigation. It doesn’t prepare them for the transition. They don’t learn the basic skills that make adulthood easier. And if you truly understand what those kids are going through in that decade of growth, you’d probably agree — it’s little wonder they sometimes come across as lost or even “stupid.”

Add to that the limited interaction they’ve had with adults on our turf, and you can see how wide the gap is. Many in the older generations — with their outdated ideas and rigid ideals — can be hard to be around. Most of them are emotionally challenged themselves.

The adults forget that times have changed. Many in the older generation have had their eyes closed while the years passed. Kids today, for the most part, don’t have the same opportunities we had. There were jobs aplenty — we all had one. We learned skills. We mixed with adults on their turf from a young age.

Life was simpler. Less technology. Less pressure from social media. Fewer rules.

We played bullrush, climbed trees, got in fights — and then what happened? We took those things away because kids were getting hurt.

We started wrapping them in cotton wool. We started doing everything for them. And now we moan because they lack the skills we stole from them.

It’s not the kids’ fault.

They’re walking into a world built by people who’ve forgotten what it’s like to be new at something.

Too often, when someone struggles to grasp what seems basic to us, we label them instead of helping them.

We say things like, “Ah, he’s useless,” or “Can’t be bothered with him,” and walk away.

Next: The Twenties — when life starts testing what school never taught