Locking Out Gen Z
It seems like the world is really shutting out Generation Z.
As kids, they were handed smartphones and tablets, learning to view the world through screens instead of their own eyes. Then, during their tween and teen years, they found themselves in Zoom classes, isolated in their bedrooms when schools closed down.
And now, they’re being shut out of public spaces.
In Albany, unaccompanied teenagers have been banned from places like bowling alleys, roller skating rinks, and even grocery stores. This leaves them wandering the streets for fun or stuck on their screens again.
Lenore Skenazy, president of the nonprofit Let Grow and author of “Free Range Kids,” expressed her concerns about this situation. She pointed out that while many complain about kids getting addicted to their phones, they often overlook that if these teens are not allowed anywhere else to socialize, they naturally turn to their devices as a refuge.
It’s hard to envision a more wholesome hangout than a bowling alley or a skating rink. Yet, reportedly, business owners are concerned about teens being rowdy and more prone to get into trouble, like fights or shoplifting.
Many stores have even put up signs that say teenagers can’t come in without a parent or guardian.
Bans extend to bookstores and fast-food joints in Albany, as well as to the Six Flags Great Escape amusement park, which once drew in teens from Albany but now enforces strict chaperone rules.
Take, for example, a 17-year-old who wants to enjoy a day at an amusement park with friends—a perfectly reasonable way to spend time together. Yet, in some areas, even older siblings might not be classified as adequate supervision, which is especially tough for working parents.
Albany isn’t alone; similar issues arose at the Atlantic Terminal Mall in Brooklyn, which also put restrictions in place because of fights breaking out among teens without adult supervision after school.
It’s ironic—these kids are old enough to work in these stores, but they can’t just hang out there on their own.
Skenazy acknowledged that while some kids can be unruly, it’s not fair to penalize all teenagers for the behavior of a few. Sure, businesses should manage disturbances, but excluding all teens from spaces isn’t the answer—for the sake of a small number being problematic.
Often, we grumble that today’s kids are growing up glued to screens and lack social interaction, yet at the same time, we’re not offering them the third spaces that previous generations cherished. It’s frequently more about the parents’ hesitations than business policies keeping kids from going out.
Jonathan Haidt, who authored the book “The Anxious Generation,” pointed out that with fewer teens socializing, partying, or even getting driver’s licenses, this could be impacting their mental health as they swap the outdoors for the isolating nature of social media.
Gen Z realizes this trend isn’t healthy and they’re yearning for a change.
A recent UK poll found that 87% of young people between 18 and 30 feel they’re connecting less face-to-face compared to prior generations. Furthermore, younger children aged 8 to 12 tend to express a stronger desire for unstructured playtime with friends rather than engaging in organized activities or online interactions.
That’s a tough reality. Kids tend to gravitate towards screens or other distractions while secretly wishing for the social experiences that their parents enjoyed.
Society can’t ask kids to be more sociable if they’re simultaneously barred from the spaces where such behavior can thrive.
We need to pick a side. We can either accept a bit of teenage mischief as part of normal business or push teens out of the community to avoid the possibility of minor trouble.
