The kids are all right

"If you were to ask most people how kids are doing these days, you'd probably get an earful of complaints and concerns. Compared with children from past generations, kids today are often portrayed as being less mentally healthy, less resilient and less empathetic. America's Children Are Unwell, read a New York Times headline last November; online magazine Parents recently ran How to Know if Your Kid Is a Narcissist—and What to Do about It."

"In a 2025 Common Sense Media survey of 1,300 nationally representative parents, 61 percent said they believe kids today lag behind past generations in their morals and values, and more than half said youth today are less resilient and independent. Although quality data are sparse, the research that does exist suggests a different narrative—one in which kids are faring better in many ways than those of previous generations."

"Tobin handled the situation as she always does: by validating her kids' feelings, helping them see each other's perspectives and emphasizing limits. She brought Sunny onto her lap and explained that she knew Sunny was frustrated but that it wasn't okay to hit because hitting hurts. She also tried to help Tori understand why Sunny had hit her."

Public perception suggests today's children are less mentally healthy, resilient, and empathetic than previous generations, with media headlines and parental surveys reflecting widespread concern about declining morals and values. However, available research presents a contrasting narrative. Studies indicate that youth today are actually more empathetic and less narcissistic than their predecessors. Katie Tobin's parenting approach demonstrates practical strategies for fostering emotional development, including validating children's feelings, encouraging perspective-taking, and establishing behavioral boundaries. When her three-year-old hit her sister out of frustration, Tobin addressed the behavior while helping both children understand emotions and consequences, resulting in genuine apology and reconciliation.

Read at www.scientificamerican.com