Are our young people the ‘snowflake generation’?

This summer, I had the privilege of meeting Lord Jim Knight, Baron Knight of Weymouth, at an event at the British Consulate here in Istanbul, Türkiye. Jim was a Labour Party politician who served as the Minister of State for Schools under the Gordon Brown administration. I actually wasn’t aware of his role when chatting to him and his wife, but when I explained that I used to lead a schools work charity in the UK focusing on mentoring, he said: ”If you ever come back to the UK – well, we need your skills more than ever.”

Fight Club and fighting back

I may not currently live in the UK, but I am saddened by how young people are labelled the “snowflake generation”. The phrase – which makes me think of both The Hunger Games and dandruff! – was coined by author Claire Fox in her 2016 book I Find That Offensive! (Biteback Publishing). She used it to describe young people who were not resilient and who took offence at things more than the generation before. The term was even named one of Collins’ words of the year.

The term “snowflake” also has a more sinister background. Did you know it was used in Chuck Palahniuk’s Fight Club? ”You are not special. You’re not a beautiful and unique snowflake. You’re the same decaying organic matter as everything else,” said the character Tyler Durden.

Taken out of context, this premise speaks a lie over young people. So let’s start by declaring the truth over them, that all young people in the UK are fearfully and wonderfully made by God, each more unique and precious than the most complexly designed snowflake. God is the author of life abd He is the one who gives us life and purpose.

Letting our young people down

Now, an independent review into mental health, ADHD and autism has told the BBC that accusations that the young are a “snowflake generation” are wrong.

Clinical psychologist and adviser to NHS England Professor Peter Fonagy has candidly reported that mental distress is on the rise in children and young people. He reported that anxiety, depression, self-harm and eating disorders are the most common issues, and that current economic and employment uncertainty, combined with the pressures of social media, mean it’s harder to be young now than ever.

To the person who says it’s a snowflake generation, just try living 24 hours as a 16-year-old.

”They are a generation that has real serious challenges that I would not wish to have had when I was their age. Adults have let them down. We’re the first generation that probably collectively feels we had a better life than our children will have. So, to the person who says it’s a snowflake generation, just try living 24 hours as a 16-year-old.”

There’s concern that the NHS can’t keep up with the need, with one in three people referred to mental health services still waiting for help after a year.

A 999 call to the church

As the church, we need to pay attention to this report. Evidence shows this generation is not “soft” and doesn’t need to simply buck up. Let’s talk about this report in our families and churches to better understand the broader climate our children and young people are growing up in.

This mental health crisis facing our young people is a 999 call for God’s people to speak up both from the pulpit and with action.

It’s our mandate as the church to lead the way in combating the loneliness epidemic.

The latest report backs up what we know as Christians: God made us to be in community. We were not designed to do life alone. It’s our mandate as the church to lead the way in combating the loneliness epidemic driven by the rise in phone use and social media. We’re now more connected than ever, so much so that screens have replaced what we need the most: meaningful, face-to-face with other humans.

Practical tips

Fonagy advises us to check in on friends, asking: ”I notice you’re not quite the same as yesterday. Is there anything the matter?” He points out that knowing someone knows makes an enormous difference.

He hopes that working together, society can make a difference – and that means us as Christian parents, grandparents, aunties, uncles and carers.

Here are some suggestions that you might find helpful:

• Let’s keep our eyes open. Has a child in our lives become quiet and withdrawn? Speak to teachers and other adults who know them to get a joined-up view of what’s going on
• What about your child’s friend who is not around so much. Can your family go the extra mile and call over to check in on them? 
• When your kids’ mates come over, try running a wacky game night where all the kids have to put their phones in a box for the whole evening. As parents and carers, if we can give our time and be willing for a bit of mess, we can play an important role in helping our children relax and have fun
• Let’s make our homes, churches and youth groups places where those with additional support needs feel welcome
• Perhaps get some training to more effectively care for those when they come to us and say they feel anxious, depressed or distressed, and we know how to signpost them.

Above all, we need to be ready to point young people to the Good Shepherd, who will never leave them or forsake them in their suffering.

”You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.” (Psalm 58:6)