What's wrong with kids today? (and I'm not even that old)

Nurses General Nursing

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I'm in my mid twenties and I'm just shocked at how kids my age are acting. It's not just one or two experiences that have made me :uhoh3::confused::rolleyes: - but several, here are the ones that stand out:

  • 21 year old who left AMA in the middle of the night because I would not let her boyfriend sleep over in a 4-bed room. She claimed that she needed him to sleep or she would 'freak out'.
  • 24 year old who would whine and cry and writhe on the bed while her family was there and act ok when they left. She liked having them coddle her and hover over her in concern.
  • 18 year old who wept so much upon admission that I thought something was wrong. When I questioned her - she was crying because this was her first time in the hospital and she was 'scared'. She came in with abd pain NYD - current pain 3/10, walking independently, absoultely fine, no horrific injuries or crazy stuff that would warrant a freak-out.

I don't know. What's going on? Why are these supposed adults so immature? Maybe it is how I was raised, but I would be embarassed to cry in public if I was not in great physical or emotional pain. I would not dream of insisting people to sleep over just so that I would 'calm down' and 'sleep better'. I would not endanger my health just because my boyfriend could not sleep over. WTH????!!!

Let me know when allnurses starts a forum about-kids- because I have an 18 year old. Who's driving me batty right now! :uhoh3::mad:

See now, Zen, you have a teenager. YOU have a right to throw a fit and act infantile! :lol2:

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Narcisism, prolonged childhood, and hover parents with boomerang children who keep coming back well into what used to be adulthood. Thats what we have going on, imho.

Another part of the problem is that education doesn't go as far as it used to. My grandparents were able to get full-time jobs and support their families with a high school education. My parents earned bachelor's degrees and, although they no longer work in their degreed fields, they were able to find good jobs with those degrees after college. Now the field my mother graduated in requires a master's degree for entry-level work; Dad had to go back for his MBA after the company he worked for was absorbed by a competitor. I can remember my high school guidance counselor saying that an associate's degree would get you a job and a bachelor's degree would get you a career, but that's no longer the case. I know many bright, industrious people in their twenties who are working for temp services, grocery stores, restaurants, etc. because the jobs in their chosen fields are taken or just plain gone. When adulthood (career/independence/responsibility) is unavailable, the adolescent 'holding pattern' continues indefinitely.

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Specializes in Pediatric/Adolescent, Med-Surg.

I work peds as well as adults and it drives me nuts seeing my parents of 20-something adult pts treating their kids as if they are a minor. Maybe it's because I'm 23 and am out of the house, have a "real" job, etc but I know if I was in the hospital I'd be taking responsibility for my own health, not acting like a spoiled teenage girl.

Until society as a whole starts expecting people in their 20's to act like adults and not children, I fail to see this problem getting any better.

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There are obviously underlying issues here, and you do not know their life story. I have seen people act childish and odd for reasons such a sexual/ domestic abuse. Abuse victims tend to stagnate at a certain stage of development. Behavior is communication. Yes, they could be spoiled brats, and I understand that this is frustrating, but think about what this behavior is telling you. And yes, they could be simply communicating that they adult-children.

It could also be the straw that broke the camels back. Ever had a crappy day, and some otherwise little thing, is suddenly a big deal?

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Behavior is communication. Yes, they could be spoiled brats, and I understand that this is frustrating, but think about what this behavior is telling you. And yes, they could be simply communicating that they are an idiot.

:yeah::yeah::yeah:

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Immaturity is one thing, but even children can be taught good behavior.

What constantly amazes me is the number of children/adolescents that come through the ED with a history of anxiety, bipolar, depression, and are on meds for the same. Many of these same patients have behavior issues like the ones the OP described, and the two are linked in my opinion.

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Specializes in Emergency.

that's very precocious of you as a young adult to make that observation. Indeed, kids aren't the same anymore - there's additional pressures facing them, living in much more divided households, fear of violence (verbal and physical) in school/internet and even rape by other kids. . .

but the problem is not just with the kids - the earth is being polluted, governments and corporations are increasingly discovered to have corrupt/deceptive leaders, it's hard to find true friends who are not selfish . . .

The Bible explains how people have changed from bad to worse at 2 Timothy 3:1-5

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I don't know. What's going on? Why are these supposed adults so immature? Maybe it is how I was raised, but I would be embarassed to cry in public if I was not in great physical or emotional pain. I would not dream of insisting people to sleep over just so that I would 'calm down' and 'sleep better'. I would not endanger my health just because my boyfriend could not sleep over. WTH????!!!

I ask myself that everyday. Good to know that even at your age you are noticing. I am a 33 year old male and it makes me feel like I am out of touch. Let's blame MTV.

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Home Health.
The Bible explains how people have changed from bad to worse at 2 Timothy 3:1-5

One more example of how every generation thinks kids are spoiled; maybe not their own kids, but certainly kids in general.

Honestly, some parents don't want their adult kids to act like adults. When I was an ER volunteer, I had to battle a woman who demanded to see her 19-year-old daughter, who came in on her own and said she didn't want her mother in her room. When I was doing flu shots last year, another woman wanted me to give a shot to her 18-year-old son, despite his many refusals. Sher wasn't happy when I said "Your son is 18. He's an adult. If he doesn't want a flu shot, I'm not going to give him one."

My local paper had a very popular blog post last year encouraging parents to get a signed Health Care Power of Attorney and a HIPAA release form before their kids go to college, so they can get information about the student's health status and have a say in their medical decisions. Has it occurred to the author that a college student may have a good reason to keep their parents out of their health care decisions? Do you really want to know your grown child had an abortion?

"Why can't they be like we were, perfect in every way? What's the matter with kids today?" -Bye Bye Birdie

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I don't really think these people were being immature, except the first one. Some people when they are sick, even if it is something minor tend to act like children, they want attention and want someone to wait on them I'm sure people in their 30s and 40s and older do it too. I always have to escort my able bodied mother and grandma to doctor appointments and wait on them when they are sick, even when it is just a simple cold. I can also sympathize with the 18 year old, she probably had mommy and daddy always going with her to the doctors and things like that and was scared to be there for the first time without them,plus I don't really see what is so horrible about crying in public, people have emotions.

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I don't think you necessaily have to move out. I'm part of a culture that children live with parents until they get married. So I can afford to move out - but I'm still at home.

However....I was cooking, cleaning, and taking care of my siblings since I was 15 - and it was not asked but expected as part of being in the family that you contribute to it. Same for my siblings when they reached around 15 - male or female. When I graduated from nursing - I was expected to contribute to the family financially. I pay some of the bills, for my siblings school fees etc. I don't resent it - I plan on raising my family the same way.

I guess it's about how much responsibility you are willing to give your kids. I have friends who got married in their mid twenties that don't know how to cook or do laundry - really? We have gotten so far as a society that a machine does the work that used to take hours - and you don't know how to turn a simple switch?

I don't know. I support myself and am in the age group of the whiners. I have been working since I was 16.I see plenty of whiners in the 40+ age group as well. People crying and carrying on for minor stuff. How do your friends get their laundry done? Do they pay for someone else to do it? I also have these friends who, "don't know how to cook". But who cares they are getting fed somehow. Some of the walkie-takies tend to be the biggest whiners. I don't think this is limited just to patients in their 20s. I have had plenty of pts threated to leave AMA for beign NPO when it was medically waranted. The bigger question is why do they think I care if they leave AMA???lol

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The parents providing for adult children ........... SO WHAT? there are 50 year olds living off of a trust fund who never had a job in their life. Good for them. If I had a mommy and daddy who could fund my elaborate lifestyle of the rich and the famous I would QUIT MY JOB RIGHT NOW!!I think a lot of these walkie talkie type pts with "minor illnesses" as we see them are probably dealing with beign sick for the first time in our life. And although for us a lap chole is an "easy pt" for them they just had "MAJOR SURGERY" and play the sick role for all it is worth etc. kwim?

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