Issue link: https://fredparent.uberflip.com/i/1086923
16 Fredericksburg Parent and Family • March 2019 Parenting Generation Z can be a challenge. Why? Well, it was easy for my parents to set limits on landline telephone time. For parents these days, it can be a pain to make sure you're tracking the right things your kids are checking out online and to know who they are really talking to on text (along with myriad of other communication channels). My parents never had to worry about me checking out inappropri- ate things on the landline because it simply wasn't possible! And giving out too much information on the computers in the 80s, cyberbullying, and all those other online issues? Forget about it. So, who exactly are Generation Z kids, and what's the best way to parent them? A primer on today's kids and what you can expect from them WRITTEN BY KERRIE MCLOUGHLIN "If your child was born in the mid-90s or after, you've got a Gen Z on your hands..." Parenting Generation Who Is Gen Z? If your child was born in the mid-90s or after, you've got a Gen Z on your hands—and there are about 82 million of them. The parents of Gen Z mainly consist of Generation X (born between 1965 and 1979) or Generation Y, a.k.a. Millennials (born between 1980 and 1994). Some general information and observations about Gen Z: • They don't want to stay at a company their entire life, and they'd prefer to work for themselves. • They are not as glued to their devices as you might think. While they do use them to help them accomplish what they need to get done, they love face-to-face interaction just as much as anyone else, so don't worry! Just because it takes them 93 text messages to make an actual in-person plan doesn't mean they'll be face-to-phone the entire event. • They are more health conscious than previous generations. • They may seem stunted as far as becoming adults, but they wonder what's the hurry. For instance, why learn how to drive young when friends are at their fingertips and Uber and Lyft are a click away (as well as parents giving rides!)? Z