Teens today are more sensible than boozy parents ever were
TODAY’S teenagers take life more seriously than their parents, with exams, the environment and finances taking priority over cigarettes, alcohol and romance.
Some 57 per cent say their schoolwork is their main focus, followed by getting into university (46 per cent).
Their parents were more bothered about getting a driving licence, under-age drinking and the opposite sex at the same age, according to a survey.
The poll of 1,000 British adults and 1,000 youths aged 12 to 18 was commissioned by the company Betty to mark the launch of its sanitary pad aimed at teenagers. The study, which compared the rites of passage of the two generations found the teenagers much more responsible than their parents.
They list passing exams, going away to college and owning their first mobile phone (32 per cent) as symbols of growing up.
Some 44 per cent of today’s youngsters are concerned about the environment, while Brexit and the turbulent housing market mean the same number are worried about being financially secure. For their parents, however, it was smoking their first cigarette (21 per cent), buying their first alcoholic drink (33 per cent), and getting a piercing (14 per cent) that were the key milestones of their youth.
Anxieties about being part of a group transcend generations, with “fitting in” concerning both young (18 per cent) and old (40 per cent).
Behavioural psychologist Jo Hemmings said: “Young people often surprise their parents by being far more concerned about their education, the environment and their financial future than they expected.”