Are our Gen Z sons just different?

[Anonymous]

No. Your sons are not different or unique. 🙄

[Anonymous]

Nice humble brag…

[Anonymous]

Your sons sound so amazing, mama! I’m so impressed with you! Do you want a cookie?

[Anonymous]

I know kids like OPs sons they are well mannered educated polite. They can hold a dinner conversation solo without being awkward while still being themselves and fun. I do also young men on the other side of the spectrum who are unmotivated, known as lazy at work, unable to maintain eye contact, unable to communicate clearly, never went to college. I don’t think the variance is unique to Gen Z. As I think about it, the descriptions I just made fit other generations that I work with as well. But I do think the women of Gen Z are different than any prior generation, and some of the dialogue and articles out today make reference to the fact that the young men aren’t finding luck in relationships. Despite the trad wife crap that was circulating for a bit the educated and driven college ladies I know are more independent I think than any generation before. See the viral vogue article ‘Is having a boyfriend embarrassing’

[Anonymous]

Do you work in an office? I don't know anyone that says yes maam and yes sir. It's much more casual. Millennials also are known for wanting a more balanced life and on using a lot of shortcuts with work with computers. There are a lot of people that are single as well. So, no the majority of under 30 people do not say yes maam or yes sir or are married Gen Y or Gen Z. This really isn't a political thing as much as people who use computers tend to rely on them for things in their life rather than doing for themselves.

[Anonymous]

I saw the kids that the media is hand-wringing about when mine were in HS, but obviously now that my kids have moved on, and those sad boys haven't, they are no longer on my radar. I do know a handful of my kids' former friends-- raised in stable homes by educated parents-- failed to launch. Their parents pulled away, which I get, since it must be very disheartening to hang out with people whose kids all went to college when yours is snarling at you from the basement.

So no, OP, your Gen Z sons are not that different. There are lots like them. You have every right to be pleased, and to feel like you dodged a bullet. But yes, there's a whole other cohort from whom they are very different. Those are the ones getting airtime.

[Anonymous]

I worried about my Gen Z kid when he was a teen--lots of time playing video games, stress, irritability, etc. He has turned out to be an incredibly hard worker, a loyal friend and partner, and generally on a great trajectory.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nice humble brag…

It was more a VBA. There was nothing humble about it.

[Anonymous]

you are winning at life

please standby for your trophy

[Anonymous]

I'm GenX, a woman, and a C-suite exec at a Fortune 500. I play video games and always have. People need to stop acting like they're the Devil's own playground FFS.

I also have two Gen Z sons. One plays, the other doesn't. Both gainfully employed post college, and nice young men. Probably due to my superior parenting skills. /s

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have two sons in their early and mid-twenties. They don’t whine or complain about life. They work hard and play hard with their large friend groups. I don’t believe they’ve touched a video game controller since college. They’re not softies. When they speak with older people it’s always yes ma’am and no sir. The younger one has had a girlfriend for 5 years and the other is married. They’re gainfully employed and living on their own. They work out and eat healthy, but still have a few drinks with friends on weekends. They enjoy life to the fullest and never sweat the small stuff.

Everything I read about Gen Z doesn’t comport with our lived experience. It’s not like we’re the parents of the year. Did we just get lucky, or are others experiencing the same thing?

Where exactly are you reading this?

Did you miss this post?

Anonymous wrote:It’s commonly known that young men are struggling.

https://www.nbcnews.com/business/economy/young-men-struggling-slowing-job-market-college-degree-rcna224482

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/emptying-the-nest/202505/falling-behind-struggling-young-men-in-todays-workforce

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/26/opinion/young-men.html

https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20250430-scott-galloway-men-struggling-katty-kay-interview

Are you the OP?

I’m a person that has access to Google. Do you not have access? How about YouTube? Perhaps you’re an auditory learner.

BTW, this isn’t new, Galloway has been on this for years. This Maher clip is from 3 years ago.

The question was for OP.

[Anonymous]

The Gen Z male hire in our office is not a gamer, but he's also not at all good at his job. Strolls in at 9:30, leaves at 3 to hit the gym. Doesn't contribute - wants to be trained but adds no value. I don't have other Gen Z acquaintances, so I'm trying not to stereotype based on one person, but if I did, I would say they care about work-life balance in a way that skews toward not actually working. I'm sure he has a healthy social life and works out plenty.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Gen Z male hire in our office is not a gamer, but he's also not at all good at his job. Strolls in at 9:30, leaves at 3 to hit the gym. Doesn't contribute - wants to be trained but adds no value. I don't have other Gen Z acquaintances, so I'm trying not to stereotype based on one person, but if I did, I would say they care about work-life balance in a way that skews toward not actually working. I'm sure he has a healthy social life and works out plenty.

Whereas I have four Gen Z men in my office (plus two more who are probably baby millennials) who are great: polite and funny, hardworking, highly skilled at a technical job, happy to learn from anyone. 🤷‍♀️

I have no idea if they play video games. But I, a Gen X woman on the exec team, do, so...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Gen Z male hire in our office is not a gamer, but he's also not at all good at his job. Strolls in at 9:30, leaves at 3 to hit the gym. Doesn't contribute - wants to be trained but adds no value. I don't have other Gen Z acquaintances, so I'm trying not to stereotype based on one person, but if I did, I would say they care about work-life balance in a way that skews toward not actually working. I'm sure he has a healthy social life and works out plenty.

sounds like he has his priorities in order. truly enlightened

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Gen Z male hire in our office is not a gamer, but he's also not at all good at his job. Strolls in at 9:30, leaves at 3 to hit the gym. Doesn't contribute - wants to be trained but adds no value. I don't have other Gen Z acquaintances, so I'm trying not to stereotype based on one person, but if I did, I would say they care about work-life balance in a way that skews toward not actually working. I'm sure he has a healthy social life and works out plenty.

Whereas I have four Gen Z men in my office (plus two more who are probably baby millennials) who are great: polite and funny, hardworking, highly skilled at a technical job, happy to learn from anyone. 🤷‍♀️

I have no idea if they play video games. But I, a Gen X woman on the exec team, do, so...

Aw, I hope you are my 22yo DS's boss. He tells me about her elementary-aged kid, so they obviously chat. Though don't know if she's a millennial or GenX because he doesn't have the faintest idea how old she is. LOL.