Me, MySpace, and I: Parenting the Net Generation

by Larry Rosen, Ph.D.

Me, MySpace, and I

Parenting the Net Generation:

Help! Is it Healthy that my Kids are Always “Wired” and Doing a Zillion Things at the Same Time?

OF COURSE YOUR KIDS DRIVE YOU CRAZY! They grew up with technology everywhere and it is their life. We are in the midst of the three most distinct and different generations in history. Baby Boomers (born between 1946 and 1964), Generation X (1965-1979), and the Net Generation (born after 1979) differ in personal values, work ethic, and every which way you can imagine. Much of these differences come from the rapid emergence of electronic technology over the past 20 years.

The Net Generation
The young kids were born steeped in technology and populate MySpace, text message furiously, and define themselves by their technological savvy and their virtual presence. They are multitasking whizzes and eagerly gobble up new technology. Baby Boomers grew up in the post-war economy where technology meant a television set or a radio. Generation Xers fit somewhere in between. Many were born into technology while others embraced the Internet as it began to emerge as a major force in our lives. They may be computer savvy, but they are nowhere near their tech-fanatic younger siblings or children.

The characteristics that best highlight these differences are shown in the table below from research and interviews that I have done over more than 25 years with tens of thousands of children, teens, parents, business executives, and school teachers. Be forewarned. Not everyone in a generation can be labeled by these characteristics.

I, for example, am a Baby Boomer, but possess many of the Gen X and Net Gen qualities, thanks to my four children and thousands of students who have carried me along with them to this new, exciting, and often overwhelming world of always connected, always multitasking children, adolescents, and young adults. See how well you fit your generation and note how different the other generations view their world. My book, Me, MySpace, and I: Parenting the Net Generation, helps you understand these kids and so that everyone, regardless of age or generation, understands the others and develops a healthy safe family environment.

PERSONAL VALUES
	Baby Boomers	Gen Xers	Net Generation
Core Values	Optimism, Involvement	Skepticism, Fun, Informality	Realism, Confidence, Extreme Fun, Social
Level of Trust	Confident of Self	Low Trust of Authority	High Trust of Authority
Upbringing	Indulged	Alienated	Protected
Family	Disintegrating	Latch-Key Kids	Merged families
Education	Freedom of Expression is Birthright	Pragmatic, A way To Get There	Structure of Accountability, An Incredible Expense
Political Orientation	Attack Oppression	Apathetic, Individual	Crave Community
Dealing With Money	Buy Now, Pay Later	Cautious, Conservative, Save, Save, Save	Earn to Spend
Communication	In Person	Direct, Immediate	E-Mail, Voice Mail
Communication Media	Telephones	Cell Phones	Internet, Picture Phones, E-Mail, IM
Likes	Responsibility, Work Ethic, Meetings	Freedom, Multitasking, Work-Life Balance	Public Activism, Latest Technology, Parents, Multitasking to the nth Degree
Dislikes	Laziness	Red Tape, Talking it Out, Meetings	Anything Slow, Negativity
WORK VALUES
	Baby Boomers	Gen Xers	Net Generation
Career Goals	Build a Strong Career	Build a Career by Trying Many Jobs	Build Many Possible Careers
Work and Family Life	No Balance. Work is Life	Work is Work. Life is What is Important	Balance
Work Ethic	Workaholics, Work is Personally Fulfilling, The Process is Important	Self-Reliance, Want Deadlines But Want to Do it on Their Own Time Plan	Multitasking, Goal Oriented, Social Interaction is Important, too
Leadership Style	Collegial, Everyone Has a Voice But the Boss Makes the Rules	Everyone is the Same, Challenge Others, Ask Why	Team Oriented
Loyalty to Institutions	Cynical	Naïve	Committed
Workplace Interactive Style	Team Player, Loves Meetings	Entrepreneurial	Participative, Social
Workplace Rewards	Title and Corner Office	Free Time is the Best Reward	Meaningful, Interesting Work
Workplace Evaluation	Once a Year in a Written Evaluation	At the End of Every Project With Lots of Rewards	Whenever I Want it. At the Push of a Button, Often and in Person
Messages that Motivate	You are Valued. You are Needed	Do it your Way. Forget the Rules	You Will Work with Bright, Creative People

About the Author:

Dr. Larry Rosen is a professor of psychology at California State University and is the co-author of Technostress. He is an international expert on the psychology of technology, writes for The National Psychologist, and has been featured in USA Today, Newsweek, on Good Morning America, CNN, as the expert in parenting Net Generation children, adolescents, and young adults. As quoted by one nationally known parenting expert, “Dr. Rosen brings insights, humor, and a balanced approach to how parents can understand and deal with this particularly challenging phenomenon.” He lives in San Diego, California.