My best memories of being a kid involve riding my bike to my friends' houses, knocking on the door and asking them to play. It didn't matter the destination, it didn't matter if we took a million pictures to document the moment, we didn't have to be wearing Insta-worthy outfits. All that mattered was that we had a blast, and were home by the time the street lights came on.

I feel as though this younger generation has been robbed of this spontaneity and the joy that comes along with it. I believe this is in part, a result of the dangers of the world, but even more so because of the influence of technology, and it's the weight that it pulls among their peers. The dangers existed when we were younger too, and when our parents were younger; it just wasn't retweeted 600K times.

Here are few reasons that I am very fearful for the generations to come:

1. They can’t look away from their screens.

Even pre-schoolers are being given iPads to watch Netflix, or play Nick Jr. games. You can hardly go out to a family restaurant without seeing a family of 5, with all three kids holding an individual device. When I was younger, to keep me occupied, my parents would talk to me about my day, or give me something constructive to do, (color them a picture of __________ and show them when I'm finished).

If I would act up, they wouldn’t shove a glowing screen in front of my face, they’d take me outside of the restaurant and explain to me that this is not how we behave.

2. Their parents can’t look away from their screens, either.

Maybe the reason that parents find occupying their children with phones/iPads/iPods so efficient is because they are completely immersed in technology, themselves They can be out to dinner, but answering work Emails, making plans for this weekend, and posting pictures of their “family” dinner, all while at the table.

3. We’re a split nation, and that’s becoming the norm.

There is a distinct line that it being drawn. In this day and age, you’re for something, or against it, and there is no in-between. It’s black, or white, and you have to decide in a nano-second which side you're on, and be willing to take up arms over it. You’ll be accused of being intolerant or racist if you support the police, or have concerns regarding public restrooms, or vice-versa, a Liberal Extremest.

There is no such thing as a gray area anymore. You cannot be partially accepting, or support both sides to any degree. There can be no questioning or reservations. You must commit, or you’re for the other side. It’s dangerous, and causing our nation to revert; while our youth sits back and takes it all in.

4. They don't possess any manners, or respect for authority, whatsoever.

Perhaps it’s because they’ve been buried in their phones for their whole lives, and there isn’t an app for manners and social graces, but they are completely rude. On Twitter, you can find actual videos of students attacking their teachers, while the other classmates sit back and film it.

Groups of children punching and kicking adults at the park, because they wouldn’t give up their seat so that they could skateboard on the benches. It’s disturbing, and yet, being spread like wildfire on all social network platforms, thus further celebrating and encouraging the behavior.

5. The Sense of Entitlement.

Call me crazy, but these kids just expect everything to be handed to them. They've never had to work a day in their lives. You never see children out front mowing the lawn, or shoveling the driveway. Where did the disconnect happen? In our parents day, they went and shoveled the neighbor's driveway without expecting any compensation in return, and it's like these kids expect the complete opposite. The adults should do everything and their only job is to be a kid. They assume that they should be given a Michael Kors wristlet and a smartphone at the age of 7, and have never swept the floor, washed a dish, raked the leaves, or even walked the dog to earn it.

6. Cyber-Bullying / Sub-Tweeting.

This is the most absurd thing I think this generation has undergone. This new form of bullying that we have heard so many teens and pre-teens committing suicide as a result of. “The idea of talking behind someone’s back, but right in front of their faces,” that’s how my 17-year-old brother described sub-tweeting to me.

It’s the act of Tweeting, blatantly referring to an individual, while not tagging the person in the Tweet. It’s humiliating, and cowardice, and pathetic. There are no more confronting people on the issues you have with them to reach a joint solution, or even agreeing to disagree.

Everything is methodically underhanded, and about deferring blame. The bully, always being able to have deniability: “No, that wasn’t about you,” all the while laughing at the victim's expense publicly.

7. Participation Trophies.

I’m not saying that children don’t deserve recognition for participating in extracurricular activities. They definitely do. Just the sheer fact that they're outdoors deserves an applause in my opinion, but there has to be a winner and a loser. If no one is named the winner, what are you setting them up for?

That is not the way the world works. You do not excel by simply participating. You don’t get a great job by just walking in the door every day and not putting any effort it. Even more importantly, those children who are working their butts off, who are fighting to succeed, and chasing after what they want with a fervor, are being placed in the same category of those who are not.

8. Their role models.

Their role models are arguably the scariest part of the upcoming generations. They are being taught to take incessant photos of themselves for the stamp of approval from their peers. Provocative photos at very young ages, and becoming hyper-aware of their physical attributes, and neglecting the non-cosmetic parts of themselves, like their character.

Some will argue that women like the Kardashian sisters encourage self-confidence, and embracing all body types, but I think that is completely and totally inaccurate. Celebrities like these are body shaming women. These Kardashian women are put in the public eye and are envied by so many girls and young women, but they are not celebrating their bodies, they are getting every possible procedure to manipulate them. Not to mention our presidential candidates -- oy.

Solutions:


Children should be limited to all technological devices and monitored for the short time that they are on them. Especially if they have access to social media.

Parents should also limit their time on devices when with their family and spend quality time praising their children for great test grades, and excelling in gym class.
Kids should be rewarded for everything that they did well, and recognized for going above and beyond, not just participating.

They should be taught to respect all levels of authority and to make eye-contact.

Most importantly they should learn that they are an individual and have natural beauty within themselves. Everyone has flaws, but it's about playing up your best features, not necessarily eliminating the bad, surgically or otherwise.

And for goodness sake, make your kid wash a dish, it'll do them some good.