{"id":238928,"date":"2025-05-22T19:15:00","date_gmt":"2025-05-22T17:15:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/herway.net\/?p=238928"},"modified":"2025-05-22T12:48:04","modified_gmt":"2025-05-22T10:48:04","slug":"things-gen-x-forgot-to-teach-their-own-kids","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/herway.net\/pt\/things-gen-x-forgot-to-teach-their-own-kids\/","title":{"rendered":"20 Things Gen X Forgot to Teach Their Own Kids"},"content":{"rendered":"

Gen X had the wildest upbringing. We were raised on latchkey freedom, questionable TV shows, and a healthy dose of “you’ll be fine.” <\/strong>We survived secondhand smoke, Pop Rocks panic, and drinking from the garden hose. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So when it came time to raise our own kids, we were determined to do things better\u2026 right? And yet\u2026 somehow, in between helicopter-parenting and handing over iPads, we may have forgotten to teach them a few key life skills.<\/strong> Not judging\u2014just saying. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aqui est\u00e3o 20 things Gen X kinda, sorta, maybe forgot to pass on to the next generation<\/strong> (with love and sarcasm, of course).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. How to Leave a Voicemail That Doesn\u2019t Sound Like a 911 Call<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"How
\n \u00a9 NPR<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Remember when leaving a voicemail wasn\u2019t cause for a minor existential crisis? Watching our kids fumble through a message, mumbling and stammering, almost feels like a prank on us. The pressure\u2019s real: one beep and suddenly, every word you know exits stage left.

I once overheard my own kid say, \u201cUh, it\u2019s me\u2026 yeah, so\u2026 bye?\u201d and I almost wanted to send them a sympathy card. They can TikTok for hours but freeze when it\u2019s their turn to leave a voicemail. Our generation could narrate a mini-life story in 30 seconds flat.

It\u2019s almost art\u2014the rambling, the awkward signoff, the weird panic when you realize you forgot your point. Maybe we gave up on voicemails too soon, and now the skill\u2019s practically extinct.<\/a> Sometimes I wish I\u2019d taught them it\u2019s okay to sound human, not perfect, when talking to the beep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. How to Talk to a Real-Life Human Customer Service Rep<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"How
\n \u00a9 Fortune<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Ever watched a Gen Z<\/a> kid try to return something in person? You\u2019d think they were being sentenced to medieval torture. The agony of speaking to an actual human is written all over their faces\u2014nerves, confusion, and a touch of desperation.

Back in our day, you couldn\u2019t just fire off an email and hide behind your inbox. Nope, you had to face the fluorescent lights and awkward small talk to get what you needed. It built a certain muscle\u2014dealing with disappointment, and\u2014gasp\u2014asking follow-up questions.

Now, half the time our kids would rather argue with a chatbot for an hour than utter three sentences to a cashier. I sometimes wish I\u2019d made them call for pizza or handle a return, just for the practice. It\u2019s not their fault, but wow, it\u2019s a lost art.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. How to Get Lost Without a Mental Breakdown<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"How
\n \u00a9 YourTango<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Remember trying to find your friend\u2019s house with nothing but scribbled directions and hope? Getting lost was just part of childhood,<\/a> like mosquito bites and burnt grilled cheese. It forced us to figure things out, trust our instincts, and sometimes\u2014gasp\u2014ask for help from a stranger.

Our kids? Total meltdown at one wrong GPS turn. The idea of wandering without Google Maps is panic-inducing, like being stranded on Mars. I tried giving my teenager a paper map once; you\u2019d think I handed them a cuneiform tablet from ancient Sumeria.

There was magic in not always knowing exactly where we were. Maybe we didn\u2019t always end up at the right house, but the adventure was half the fun. I wish I\u2019d encouraged more \u201clet\u2019s see where this takes us\u201d moments before Siri became the boss of the journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. How to Be Bored Without Reaching for a Screen<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"How
\n \u00a9 Fatherly<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Boredom used to be a rite of passage. We\u2019d stare at the ceiling, doodle in the margins of a notebook, or come up with the world\u2019s most elaborate games with nothing but a shoelace and wild imagination. Our brains needed quiet to wander\u2014sometimes into mischief, but hey, that\u2019s creativity.

Today\u2019s kids?<\/a> The second boredom hits, it\u2019s frantic scrolling, swiping, or streaming. Silence is almost suspicious. I miss the days when being bored was the universe\u2019s way of giving you a moment to breathe\u2014or create something ridiculous.

I wish I\u2019d fought harder against the urge to hand over a device at every whine. Maybe if we\u2019d let them marinate in their own thoughts a little more, they\u2019d see boredom isn\u2019t a curse. It\u2019s a superpower in disguise\u2014if you let it be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. How to Save for Something Instead of Just Clicking \u201cBuy Now\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"How
\n \u00a9 Prosper<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

There was a special kind of pride in saving up for something big\u2014scraping together allowance, forgoing treats, and stashing every spare coin. That piggy bank was our secret weapon. The payoff when you finally bought it? Pure joy, like you\u2019d just unlocked adult-level happiness.

Now, \u201cBuy Now\u201d is one click away, and patience feels old-fashioned. Our kids barely know the anticipation of wanting, waiting, and working for something. The thrill of delayed gratification? Totally foreign concept.

I sometimes regret not making them save up for their own sneakers or concert tickets. It\u2019s not about the money\u2014it\u2019s about discipline, and the weird satisfaction that comes from earning a treat. Next time there\u2019s something big on their wishlist, maybe a little old-school saving is the lesson they need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6. How to Use a Landline Without Accidentally Hanging Up<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"How
\n \u00a9 News.com.au<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Remember the adrenaline rush of picking up the phone and hoping you didn\u2019t get the busy signal\u2014or worse, hang up on grandma by accident? Landlines were our communication battleground. You had to navigate buttons, cords, and the perilous hold function like a pro.

Today, hand a landline to a teenager and watch the confusion unfold. I\u2019ve seen my own kid try to tap the receiver like it\u2019s a touchscreen. It\u2019s both hilarious and a little sad\u2014an entire skill set gone with the WiFi wind.

We lost something in the switch to constant connectivity. Maybe I should\u2019ve let them play \u201coperator\u201d on the old phone, just to get the feel. At least then, hanging up on someone would have been a mechanical accident, not a technical mystery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

7. How to Make a Mixtape of Feelings<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"How
\n \u00a9 Gen X Watch<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Mixtapes were our emotional language<\/a>\u2014tiny love letters disguised as playlists. You picked songs with care, poured heartache or hope into every track, and sometimes snuck in a not-so-subtle message. Each one was a time capsule you could hold, rewind, and share.

Try explaining that to someone who can drag-and-drop on Spotify. Where\u2019s the thrill in sending a link? There\u2019s no painstaking process, no hand-drawn cover, no anticipation as you wait for them to listen.

I wish I\u2019d shown my kids the magic of analog playlists\u2014the art of curating feelings, not just shuffling songs. There\u2019s something about taking the time to make music feel personal, not just convenient. Maybe that\u2019s why our old tapes still hold way more secrets than any digital playlist ever could.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

8. How to Have Awkward Conversations Without Ghosting<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"How
\n \u00a9 YourTango<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Breaking up, apologizing, or just saying something difficult face-to-face\u2014awkward was our middle name. We stammered, we sweated, we sometimes cried, but we didn\u2019t disappear into thin air when things got hard. Ghosting wasn\u2019t an option; you had to handle the cringe in real time.

Agora, disappearing is as easy as not replying.<\/a> I\u2019ve watched my kids struggle to say what they mean, especially when it\u2019s uncomfortable. Sometimes, I think we did them a disservice by letting conversations move entirely to text.

I want them to know it\u2019s okay to be nervous, to mess up words, or to have a shaky voice. What matters is showing up. Awkwardness won\u2019t kill you\u2014it just means you\u2019re human, and the other person probably feels just as weird.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

9. How to Wait for Literally Anything<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"How
\n \u00a9 Upworthy<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Back then, waiting was unavoidable. You sat through commercials, stood in line for movie tickets, and counted down the days for your favorite band\u2019s new album. It built a quiet patience\u2014sometimes grudging, but real.

Kids today?<\/a> Three seconds of buffering and the world is ending. Instant gratification rules, and patience feels like an ancient relic. If anything takes longer than a swipe or a tap, frustration sets in fast.

I wish I\u2019d made them wait for things a little more\u2014let anticipation build and excitement bubble up. There\u2019s something lost when everything\u2019s instant. Sometimes, the best things come to those who, yes, actually wait a little.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

10. How to Fix Something With Duct Tape, a Pen Cap, and Hope<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"How
\n \u00a9 CNET<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

We were MacGyvers by necessity. If something broke, you didn\u2019t toss it\u2014you patched, taped, or jimmied it back to life with whatever you could find.<\/a> Half the magic was figuring out how to make things work, even if it was just for another week.

My kids? The minute something stalls, they\u2019re already browsing for a replacement. There\u2019s no sense of challenge, no pride in a makeshift fix. It\u2019s all about new, shiny, and instant.

I wish I\u2019d let them in on the secret: sometimes fixing things is more satisfying than buying new. You learn problem-solving, patience, and the lost joy of making something last. Plus, a little duct tape adds character\u2014trust me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

11. How to Cope With Not Being the Main Character<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"How
\n \u00a9 slate.com<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Growing up in a house full of siblings, you learned quickly: sometimes, you\u2019re just not the star. We had to share the spotlight\u2014if we got it at all. It taught us to wait our turn, cheer for someone else, and realize the world didn\u2019t revolve around us.

Today\u2019s kids? The main-character energy is real. Social media only magnifies it\u2014every moment staged, every selfie curated. I wonder if they realize how freeing it can be to slip into the background every now and then.

I wish I\u2019d shown them it\u2019s okay to just be part of the crowd, to blend in, and to appreciate other people\u2019s wins. Sometimes, being a great supporting character is even better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

12. How to Make a Phone Call Without Practicing a Script First<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"How
\n \u00a9 Career Ahead Magazine<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Calling someone used to be a gut-check. You dialed, hoped you didn\u2019t catch their mom, and ran with whatever came out of your mouth. No rehearsals, no drafts, just raw human interaction.

Kids today? Every call is a production\u2014notes, scripts, and a near-panic attack before they even hit send. I can\u2019t blame them; texting\u2019s easier, but it\u2019s not the same. There\u2019s something brave about picking up the phone and winging it.

Maybe I should\u2019ve made them order pizza or call in sick, just to get a taste. The shaky voice, the fumbled words\u2014they\u2019re part of the charm. You find out fast: people usually aren\u2019t that scary on the other end.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

13. How to Read the Room Without Emojis<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"How
\n \u00a9 Effective School Solutions<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Social cues used to be all about tone,<\/a> side-eyes, and the weird pause after a joke that didn\u2019t land. We learned to read a room by reading faces, not emojis. If you misjudged, you felt it\u2014no need for a follow-up text with a crying-laughing face.

Now, everyone\u2019s translating feelings through little icons and punctuation. My kids sometimes miss the subtle stuff\u2014the raised eyebrow, the sigh, the shifting in a chair. It makes real-life conversations a little bumpier.

I wish I\u2019d made them practice those face-to-face moments more. There\u2019s only so much a thumbs-up emoji can say. Sometimes you need to sit with the awkward silence to really get what\u2019s going on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

14. How to Sit at the Table Without a Screen and a Side Quest<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"How
\n \u00a9 Kelowna Now<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Family dinner was once the main event\u2014stories, debates, and someone always refusing to eat peas. We rolled our eyes, but we were present. No screens, no distractions, just a lot of opinions and the occasional food fight.

These days, it\u2019s a miracle if you can get a teen to the table, let alone away from their phone. The urge to scroll is strong, and silence feels awkward. I get it, but I miss the chaos of everyone just being there\u2014messy, loud, and real.

Maybe we should\u2019ve fought harder for those screen-free meals. Sometimes the best memories are made in the space between bites and eye rolls. A little boredom never ruined a family dinner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

15. How to Take a Bad Day Without a Breakdown<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"How
\n \u00a9 Psychology Today<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Growing up, we learned to swallow a bad day and keep going. Sometimes we stuffed feelings down too far (hello, therapy), but we also picked up a little resilience. Not every disappointment needed a full-blown meltdown.

Now, I see how quickly frustration tips into drama or shutdown. It\u2019s tempting to swoop in and fix it, but maybe they just need to ride it out. Emotions are messy, but they won\u2019t break you.

I wish I\u2019d helped them find the middle ground\u2014feeling things, but not letting them take over. Sometimes, all you need is a good sulk, a snack, and the reminder that tomorrow\u2019s another shot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

16. How to Respect Personal Space Without Needing a Boundaries Workshop<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"How
\n \u00a9 Raising Children Network<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

We didn\u2019t have a vocabulary for boundaries, but we knew when someone wanted space. A look, a step back, or just a vibe was usually enough. No need for a PowerPoint on personal bubbles.

Sometimes I think today\u2019s kids overthink it. Everything is a conversation, a process, a \u201clet\u2019s talk about how you made me feel.\u201d Not bad, but it misses the subtlety\u2014the quiet art of giving someone room without making it weird.

I wish I\u2019d shown them that respecting space can be silent and simple. Sometimes, you just step back, and that\u2019s all the message you need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

17. How to Use Sarcasm Without Wounding Souls<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"How
\n \u00a9 Substack<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sarcasm was a language we spoke fluently\u2014sharp, dry, and usually harmless. It bonded us through inside jokes and eye-rolls, but it rarely hit below the belt. There was an unspoken rule: don\u2019t take yourself too seriously.

With kids today, sarcasm can land like a lead balloon or get tagged as \u201ctoxic.\u201d Sometimes, I catch myself holding back, worried I\u2019ll hurt feelings or spark a debate. It\u2019s a fine line between playful and painful.

I wish I\u2019d shown them how to wield sarcasm with a lighter touch. It\u2019s not about being mean\u2014it\u2019s about having fun, poking at the ridiculous, and knowing when to quit. A wink and a laugh go a long way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

18. How to Handle a Paper Cut Without Announcing It to Social Media<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"How
\n \u00a9 Vox<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Paper cuts were a private tragedy. You winced, stuck on a Band-Aid, and kept moving like a stoic little hero. No one needed a play-by-play, let alone an audience of hundreds.

Now, the tiniest scrape is a photo op. There\u2019s a post, a caption, maybe even a sympathy emoji parade. I\u2019m not saying sharing is bad, but sometimes it\u2019s okay to just have a moment to yourself.

I wish I\u2019d taught them the value of a little quiet toughness\u2014feeling pain, fixing it, and moving on. Not every struggle deserves a spotlight. Sometimes the bravest thing is just getting on with it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

19. How to Be Wrong Without a TED Talk Explanation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"How
\n \u00a9 Upworthy<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Back in the day, being wrong meant a quick \u201csorry\u201d or a sheepish shrug. We didn\u2019t launch into a 10-slide explanation or spiral into defensiveness. Admit, apologize, move forward.

Now, I watch my kids debate every misstep like they\u2019re defending a thesis. There\u2019s always a reason, a deep-dive, a chart or two. Sometimes, all anyone wants is a simple, \u201cMy bad.\u201d

I wish I\u2019d normalized that being wrong isn\u2019t a moral failing. It\u2019s just part of being alive. Own it, fix it if you can, and go eat some ice cream. No TED Talk required.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

20. How to Appreciate the Weird, Unfiltered Chaos of Real Life<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"How
\n \u00a9 Yahoo<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Blurry photos, cringe-worthy haircuts, and unplanned chaos\u2014those were the heartbeat of our best memories. Nothing was curated or filtered. You just lived, and sometimes you looked ridiculous, but it was all yours.

Kids now can edit, delete, and filter every moment. It\u2019s easy to forget how freeing it is to just let things be imperfect. The best stories usually come from the messiest, weirdest days.

I wish I\u2019d saved more room for the unplanned, the awkward, and the hilariously bad. Sometimes, the best parts of life are the ones you don\u2019t script. There\u2019s magic in the mess.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Gen X had the wildest upbringing. We were raised on latchkey freedom, questionable TV shows, and a healthy dose of “you’ll be fine.” We survived secondhand smoke, Pop Rocks panic, and drinking from the garden hose. So when it came time to raise our own kids, we were determined to do things better\u2026 right? And…<\/p>","protected":false},"author":34,"featured_media":238927,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_kadence_starter_templates_imported_post":false,"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[29816],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-238928","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-parenting"],"taxonomy_info":{"category":[{"value":29816,"label":"PARENTING"}]},"featured_image_src_large":["https:\/\/herway.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/20-Things-Gen-X-Forgot-to-Teach-Their-Own-Kids-1024x532.jpg",1024,532,true],"author_info":{"display_name":"Inna Williams","author_link":"https:\/\/herway.net\/pt\/author\/inna\/"},"comment_info":0,"category_info":[{"term_id":29816,"name":"PARENTING","slug":"parenting","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":29816,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":300,"filter":"raw","cat_ID":29816,"category_count":300,"category_description":"","cat_name":"PARENTING","category_nicename":"parenting","category_parent":0}],"tag_info":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/herway.net\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/238928","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/herway.net\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/herway.net\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/herway.net\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/34"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/herway.net\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=238928"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/herway.net\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/238928\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":238957,"href":"https:\/\/herway.net\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/238928\/revisions\/238957"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/herway.net\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/238927"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/herway.net\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=238928"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/herway.net\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=238928"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/herway.net\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=238928"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}