SESSION 6: UNDERSTANDING YOUTH
QUIZ
“POSITIVELY IMPACTING A YOUNG PERSON IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS YOU CAN ACHIEVE.”
TEENAGE WORLDVIEW AND CULTURE
The worldview of young people is something in which many adults are largely unfamiliar. Often, adults find themselves thinking, “What was that kid thinking?” or “Don’t they know any better?” In short, no, they don’t. Here are some specific issues and thoughts that help define how youth think and act.
- Moral: Many kids are never given a moral compass – no one has taught them right from wrong. Their feelings are usually their guide. This often results in a negative attitude in kids towards any authority figure that might try to direct or influence their behavior.
Example: An “I’ll do what I want and you can do what you want” mentality.
- Lack of Positive Close Family Support: Thirty years ago, the family was the number one motivator in the lives of kids. Not true anymore. Often times, the parents are too busy to guide their kids. In some other cases, the kids are growing up in broken homes with little to no moral guidance or encouragement.
Example: Single parent working multiple jobs just to put food on the table.
- Lack of Positive Community Support: Many kids in this generation are drastically disconnected from their community. This often results in a lack of positive mentors, leaving most kids to be raised without strong values.
Example: Responsible adults not taking an interest in a youth’s behavior or personal life.
- Media: Technology and media are extremely high priorities in virtually every kid’s life. The rise of the internet and social media has resulted in shorter and shorter attention spans and declining interpersonal skills. The resulting mindset of instant gratification has led to a lack of patience.
Example: A kid with the TV on, earphones in, texting on their phone and chatting on the internet, all while (supposedly) doing their homework.