One debate that has become a hot topic between the younger and older generation is the development of the Generation Z’s communication skills. Generation Z has built the character trait of not being able to converse with peers and adults alike.With technology being more prominent than ever in this new generation, many adolescents have gone on to lose the skill of being able to communicate in real life or feeling more confident and comfortable with speaking online. However, as one starts to dive deeper into this complex idea of communication, where do these underlying issues develop from?

The answer to this question comes down to the fact that children learn these skills through parents or guardians around them. If these parental figures do not have the best way of communicating – an example being yelling at one another instead of speaking in a calm manner- leading to children struggling to transmit what they need to in the real world.

Parents often become frustrated and angry quickly, creating fear of children asking questions and discouraging them from asking questions because of this.“Keep the tone of your voice low when you want to pass a message to your kids. Children tend to respond when we communicate with them in a less threatening tone of voice,” Arlette Shohmelian, a psychologist, mindset coach, and parent coach, says when speaking on communication skills between parents and children. 

Shohmelian emphasizes that if you learn how to communicate with your children in a calm manner when they make mistakes, they will be able to communicate better when something goes wrong or becomes too difficult to handle. They will also be able to communicate better in the real world when it comes to interviews, public speaking, and confidence building.

Being able to communicate with one’s kids builds healthy habits in the growing youth, but is something that this young generation lacks. Teens and children alike have become timid and afraid of making mistakes or asking questions due to the excess of fear being implemented onto them through the adults in their lives. Instead, they have built habits of being able to communicate better online than in real life due to feeling more comfortable and confident with being able to express themselves while hiding behind a screen. 

A study from TechCrunch shows that forty five percent of  adolescents between the ages of 11 and 18 said they were happier online than offline. Online has become an escape for children, allowing them to detach from reality and consume an incredible amount of media. For kids around that age, belonging is a huge part of their lives and feeling like an outcast almost feels like the “end of the world” for most. The internet however, allows them to openly express themselves and be in contact with people with their mindset and interests alone without having to deal with the judgemental circle that surrounds them outside of the screen.

“I feel as if I can communicate better online due to being able to think through what I want to say instead of having to come up with something on the spot. It allows me to take my time and create the best sentence of what I want to say or in this case communicate.” Lori Garibian, a freshman at Clark, feels as if it is less confrontational to ask a question online and, even in some cases, easier to get your point across through typing instead of speaking.

Generation Z typically has come to feel more comfortable and secure online rather than speaking to people in public. This will have negative consequences in the future once this generation enters the workfield and will have to rely on these skills to be able to work with different types of people, furthermore, leading many to believe the Generation Z may struggle greatly in the future.