It is no surprise that Gen Z is facing a lot of challenges in the world culture in which they are growing up. How can we avoid both overprotection and underprotection as we parent and lead Gen Z?
Jonathan Morrow: “There’s a lot of stuff they’ve got to figure out, navigate, need to be equipped in, just like all of us at that age. But I love that you highlighted that passion that they have, the curiosity, I think empathy, the desire to find that purpose. I think those are such good qualities about this next generation.”
Stephanie Shackelford: “have a unique vantage point when I do coach students, that I oftentimes get to work with their parents as well….We oftentimes hear about helicopter parenting, which is what we typically think about parents that are hovering, and really maybe overly-engaged.
“But what we’re really seeing now, is something being termed drone parenting. This obviously plays off of just the increasing technology-driven world that we live in. But it also does describe this kind of new parenting style that has been adapted for this digital age that we’re in, in terms of that rather than physically hovering over their children like a helicopter, drone parents more monitor their children through technology. And so, they can have a very close watch, but still monitor from a distance. And so, they don’t want to be perceived as helicopter parents. They want to be perceived as giving their children freedom; and yet, they still are keeping this close, but trying to be distanced, watch. And so, as we’ll see, that does lead to some overprotection, and then also some underprotection.
Dive into the following questions with Jonathan Morrow and Dr. Stephanie Shackelford in this episode of the Impact 360 Institute podcast:
- Are parents of Gen Z more overprotective or underprotective?
- How do we provide support for the generation in both engaged and appropriately connected ways?
- How are media and technology influencing Gen Z?
- What is our role, as parents, in how our students use technology?
Listen on:
Dr. Stephanie Shackelford is a writer researcher and coach. Through her work, she helps people identify and take hold of their purpose.
She is the author of You on Purpose: Discover Your Calling and Create the Life You Were Meant to Live, a contributing author for Christians at Work: Examining the Intersection of Calling and Career and Know, Be, Live: A 360 Degree Approach to Discipleship in a Post-Christian Era, and a Senior Fellow at Barna Group, primarily studying vocation and calling.
Dr. Stephanie Shackelford is the author of the chapter “Gen Z’s Overprotective, Unprotective Parents” in the brand new book Know. Be. Live. : a 360˚ Approach to Discipleship in a Post-Christian Era.
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