Generation Perfect

[Princess_Abby]

I was watching ABC this morning and they had a segment on the concept of this teenage generation dealing with “the need to be perfect.”

Seventeen magazine apparently has some sort of survey this month (or last) talking about the stress teens feel to look perfect, act perfect, be perfect. To learn perfectly, particpate perfectly, get into the perfect college, etc. 99% surveyed said they feel “stressed.” 4% said they think about suicide when stressed.

Girls try on three or four outfits before going to school, starve themselves during lunch, push themselves to get through school faster and at a high level of acheivement in order to get into the “best college.”

Anyone have any thoughts about this? I think it’s very interesting.

 

[Michelle_in_KC]

It doesn’t surprise me as most of the teenagers in this time were raised by Baby Boomer parents who expected nothing less than perfect…after all, the Baby Boomers…the most affluent generation ever, have given their children EVERY chance to succeed and be well-rounded.

I did some research on generations a couple of years ago during my MBA program. It’s quite interesting. Generation X (of which I am a part) is one of the more cynical groups of people and also the generation most affected by abortion and contraception (which is why we are the smallest).

Baby Boomers have had so much affluence all their lives and they are very competitive (you would be too, if you had 85 million peers to compete with for everything). Many boomers had children later in life and hence, have been able to provide substantial affluence for their offspring. This leads to their kids being in every sport or activity in addition to school. Kids these days are entirely over-scheduled, IMO, but it’s the norm and standard to many baby boomer parents.

Obviously, not every single person fits into the “general demographic” but it’s just what the research shows.

it’s a fascinating topic.

 

[Princess_Abby]

Michelle in KC:

It doesn’t surprise me as most of the teenagers in this time were raised by Baby Boomer parents who expected nothing less than perfect…after all, the Baby Boomers…the most affluent generation ever, have given their children EVERY chance to succeed and be well-rounded.

I did some research on generations a couple of years ago during my MBA program. It’s quite interesting. Generation X (of which I am a part) is one of the more cynical groups of people and also the generation most affected by abortion and contraception (which is why we are the smallest).

Baby Boomers have had so much affluence all their lives and they are very competitive (you would be too, if you had 85 million peers to compete with for everything). Many boomers had children later in life and hence, have been able to provide substantial affluence for their offspring. This leads to their kids being in every sport or activity in addition to school. Kids these days are entirely over-scheduled, IMO, but it’s the norm and standard to many baby boomer parents.

Obviously, not every single person fits into the “general demographic” but it’s just what the research shows.

it’s a fascinating topic.

So what are the “cut offs”–in terms of age–where someone is considered part of Generation X, Generation Y, Generation Perfect?

I know my parents are part of the Baby Boomer Generation, but where does it go from there?

 

[deb1]

Princess_Abby:

So what are the “cut offs”–in terms of age–where someone is considered part of Generation X, Generation Y, Generation Perfect?

I know my parents are part of the Baby Boomer Generation, but where does it go ?

users.metro2000.net/~stabbott/genxintro.htm

according to this website I am an older Generation Xer. I was born in 1966 and the years for Generation X starts at 1965. My mom is a baby boomer.

 

[Michelle_in_KC]

The research I did had it like this:

Baby Boomers: 1945-1965
Gen X: 1965-1980
Gen Y: 1980-2000
“Cuspers” would fall anywhere from 5 years before the beginning to 5 years after the beginning of a generation.

I’m a solid Gen X (born in 1973). I fit the profile pretty well, too…divorced parents, affected by major “crapola” fiascos like lots of layoffs in the 80s, latchkey kid, rely on myself more than anyone else because the loyalty factor isn’t there, etc.

I’m guessing Gen Y and Gen “Perfect” are comingling at this point. Meaning that researchers are finding a new way of identifying Gen Y. When I did my research, they hadn’t come up with a name for the generation starting being born in 2000…makes sense since those kids are still so young and haven’t started doing things as a whole to “identify” themselves.

 

[Michelle_in_KC]

users.metro2000.net/~stabbott/genxintro.htm

according to this website I am an older Generation Xer. I was born in 1966 and the years for Generation X starts at 1965. My mom is a baby boomer.

Yeah, lots of Generation Xers are Baby Boomers’ kids, too. However, because of the contraception and abortion factor…there are far fewer of us as many Baby Boomers made the choice to delay parenthood. Also, I’m the child of older baby boomers (1946 births for the both of them).

I also have siblings who are Gen Y’ers and also the parents of baby boomers since my dad remarried another baby boomer and they had two children.

I think it’s pretty safe to say that Baby Boomers were the ones getting all the divorces as the divorce rate skyrocketed in the 70s and 80s and then they got remarried and had more children. Hence, Gen X and Gen Y are sibling generations.

And really, overall, research suggests that Gen X looks at Gen Y as the spoiled younger sibling.

Again…fascinating stuff.

 

[deb1]

Princess_Abby:

I was watching ABC this morning and they had a segment on the concept of this teenage generation dealing with “the need to be perfect.”

Seventeen magazine apparently has some sort of survey this month (or last) talking about the stress teens feel to look perfect, act perfect, be perfect. To learn perfectly, particpate perfectly, get into the perfect college, etc. 99% surveyed said they feel “stressed.” 4% said they think about suicide when stressed.

Girls try on three or four outfits before going to school, starve themselves during lunch, push themselves to get through school faster and at a high level of acheivement in order to get into the “best college.”

Anyone have any thoughts about this? I think it’s very interesting.

Each generation have their own problems. I remember listening to media discuss how difficult my generation had it. We had all the pressures listed above, plus the threat of nuclear annhilation!

Now, that I have had a chance to review history, I can’t help but think that we were a bit whiny. Personally, I think being a teenager during the black plague would have been pretty bad. What about during the depression and having to deal with bread lines?

I remember that we had a large influx of Vietnamess kids when I was in tenth grade. These kids were sent ahead of their parents and were expected to do well so that they could help rescue their other family members from poverty. Many of them couldn’t even speak English, but most amazingly did do well. If that isn’t pressure I don’t know what is.

 

[Celia]

Princess_Abby:

I was watching ABC this morning and they had a segment on the concept of this teenage generation dealing with “the need to be perfect.”

Seventeen magazine apparently has some sort of survey this month (or last) talking about the stress teens feel to look perfect, act perfect, be perfect. To learn perfectly, particpate perfectly, get into the perfect college, etc. 99% surveyed said they feel “stressed.” 4% said they think about suicide when stressed.

Girls try on three or four outfits before going to school, starve themselves during lunch, push themselves to get through school faster and at a high level of acheivement in order to get into the “best college.”

Anyone have any thoughts about this? I think it’s very interesting.

I’d say it’s right on target. I graduated in 2001, so a little while a go, but not too long. And I had friends that would get up at 5 every day…not to exercise, or have time for a good breakfast, nor did they live far from school. No, they got up to do their hair, their makeup, and pick out an outfit that would be good enough for that day. There’s a lot of pressure in high school because it always seems like there’s someone better looking than you.

College is huge. I went to a high school (Catholic) that had a large number of wealthy kids there. (no, I wasn’t one of them ) All through junior year, all you would hear about was who was going to the most expensive, most well known Private university. The kids (like me ) that stayed behind to go to school locally felt kinda left out of that.

It’s tough to be young nowadays. Now that I’m a little older I even tend to forget about this stuff, but yeah, it’s still happening, I’m sure.

 

[Michelle_in_KC]

Celia:

It’s tough to be young nowadays. Now that I’m a little older I even tend to forget about this stuff, but yeah, it’s still happening, I’m sure.

My dad always tells me, “Michelle, every generation has it rough. It’s always been hard to raise kids. Yes the challenges may be different, but when you get right down to it…it’s the same kind of challenge in a different outfit.”

As for the picking out the “right” clothes for school…sounds like a very good reason for uniforms.

 

[deb1]

Celia:

I’d say it’s right on target. I graduated in 2001, so a little while a go, but not too long. And I had friends that would get up at 5 every day…not to exercise, or have time for a good breakfast, nor did they live far from school. No, they got up to do their hair, their makeup, and pick out an outfit that would be good enough for that day. There’s a lot of pressure in high school because it always seems like there’s someone better looking than you.

e.

I graduated in 1985 and I can remember girls getting up early to do their hair also! Have you ever looked at women’s hairstyles of that period. Very ugly, very big, masses that took lots and lots of Aquanet. I am pretty certain that my generation is responsible for the hole of the ozone layer. LOL! The bane of my adolescent life was the fact that I had flat, straight hair that wouldn’t hold curl, no matter how many hours I spent with a curling iron and a can hair spray.

 

[catsrus]

Peer and media pressure now is terrible on kids.

I was in high school in the early 60’s - yes an old boomer.
We were not fed on TV and magazines to look like someone else. TV was The Patti Page Show, Ed Sullivan and The King Family. Who the heck wanted to look like them!?! No hair dryers or curling irons then. We slept on metal rollers with brushes in them. (they hurt but you got used to them).
No one wore makeup. Maybe a pink-tangerine lipstick; that was it. My sister and I shared 4 skirts, 2 blouses, 2 sweaters and 2 dresses. We didn’t know we were underprivledged by today’s standards.

I’d hate to be a teen now.

 

[Celia]

Michelle in KC:

My dad always tells me, “Michelle, every generation has it rough. It’s always been hard to raise kids. Yes the challenges may be different, but when you get right down to it…it’s the same kind of challenge in a different outfit.”

As for the picking out the “right” clothes for school…sounds like a very good reason for uniforms.

Yeah, we had a pretty strict dress code but uniforms probably would have made it a little easier…except I had to ride on the same school bus as the public high school kids and I heard enough “comments” on my khakis or skirts and blouses or polos all the time.
At least I wouldn’t have had to think about what to wear every day though. (“hmmm, the navy skirt and white blouse or…the navy skirt and white blouse?” ) I wore uniforms in elementary and middle school, so I know both sides of the coin, I guess.

 

[Celia]

deb1:

I graduated in 1985 and I can remember girls getting up early to do their hair also! Have you ever looked at women’s hairstyles of that period. Very ugly, very big, masses that took lots and lots of Aquanet. I am pretty certain that my generation is responsible for the hole of the ozone layer. LOL! The bane of my adolescent life was the fact that I had flat, straight hair that wouldn’t hold curl, no matter how many hours I spent with a curling iron and a can hair spray.

Yes, my cousin (oddly enough, her name is Deb too ) graduated around that time and I’ve seen pictures it’s so funny how styles change. But the same pressure to fit in is always there.

 

[deaconswife]

I saw the program too and was interested as I have two girls who are in this age group. They both went to all girl Catholic high schools and the expectations to succeed were extremely high. At least in their case a lot of the pressure to suceed seems to come from themselves. My youngest, despite the fact that she has a full scholarship to college is working to graduate in three years with two BAs - this is nothing that her father or I pushed. Her older sister while graduating in 4 years pushed herself to do research so as to graduate with distinction. She is now getting her Ph.D. from an ivy league university. Yes, she is a multiple outfit changer - laundry has decreased since she moved out of the house.