Are Kids Today Meaner Than Ever Before?

Filed under: Bullying

mean kids picture

The internet could be a factor in today's kids being meaner than in years past. Credit: Getty Images

This topic was inspired by someone whom even the author of the original article refers to as a "family scientist" (think air-quotes), but I still think it's an interesting question. Namely, are kids today meaner than they used to be?

The idea that kids today are meaner than ever before was floated by Malcom Smith of the University of New Hampshire's Cooperative Extension Service, according to the Boston Globe.

Certainly they grow up faster. Yes, every generation of parents says that, but there are things that this generation has that others did not, such as access to the Internet. A lot of meanness happens online in the form of cyberbullying. Since cyberbullying didn't even exist until relatively recently, one could argue that this shows that there is more meanness among today's children than there used to be, simply because there are more opportunities for them to be mean.

But the proof is in the pudding -- or in this case, the parents. What do you think? Are kids today meaner than ever?


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AdviceMama Says:
Start by teaching him that it is safe to do so.