If you’ve found yourself wondering this, you are not alone
Many parents and carers are noticing that some of the challenges children and young people face today feel very different from those they experienced growing up.
While adults may recognise some of the same worries and pressures, young people are navigating them while still developing and making sense of a rapidly changing world.
Relationships play an important part in helping families make sense of these experiences together, creating space for open, honest and sometimes difficult conversations.
A recent BBC News article asked why it can feel harder to be a young person today. The article followed an interview with Professor Peter Fonagy, ahead of the publication of his independent review into mental health, ADHD and autism.
Professor Fonagy described a real rise in mental distress, challenging the idea that younger generations are simply becoming more sensitive.
Instead, he pointed to some of the genuine pressures shaping young people’s lives today, including social media and uncertainty about the future.
It’s not always easy to find the right words
Children and young people can often struggle to put into words when they’re finding something difficult.
Instead, parents and carers may notice changes in behaviour. A child might become quieter or more irritable, withdraw from family activities, spend more time alone or seem more worried than usual.
These behaviours can be a way of communicating feelings. Rather than focusing on the behaviour itself, it can be helpful to consider what may be happening beneath.
Some pressures can also extend beyond the school day. The BBC article highlighted how social media can contribute to this, with friendships, expectations and comparisons continuing online and into home and family time.
Small moments of connection can make a difference
Parents and cares do not need to have all the answers.
Often, what matters most is creating opportunities for children to feel heard, understood and safe enough to share what is happening for them.
You might try:
- Choosing low pressure moments to talk
- Listening without rushing to fix things
- Putting feelings into words together
- Being curious about their online world
- Coming back together after difficult moments
Small, everyday moments of connection can help nurture relationships where children feel safe, supported and better able to navigate life’s challenges alongside their trusted adult.
The world may look very different to when many parents and carers were growing up, but children still need the same thing, trusted relationships that help them feel safe, understood and connected.
Support for parents and carers
At a time when many children and families are waiting for support, Togetherness offers a gentle place to start.
Our learning pathways offer parents, carers and grandparent’s practical ways to understand feelings, behaviour and relationships, and strengthen everyday moments of connection.
For parents and carers: explore support that fits where you are in your parenting journey.
For professionals: build around the Solihull Approach model, to support work with families and communities.