We often hear about a new terminology called ‘Strawberry Generation’ problems, particularly with gen-z and gen-y, due to their lack of spirit when facing personal or work-life challenges. Whether these situations happen at school, at work, or in society, they tend to be stressful in situations that make them feel insecure, resulting in reactions like panic attacks, stress, mental breakdowns, and even worse conditions that can lead to suicide attempts.
Early identification and follow-up treatments should be done by the parents since they are the inner circle and responsible for the growth of their children physically and mentally. Living in the digital era, most parents rely on technology even in basic parenting matters, which replaces some roles with technology assistance. This has become a growing global parenting issue. Here, Fabiola Priscilla, a Master of Psychology, practitioner, and experienced keynote speaker in various media, platforms, and seminars, shares her knowledge and expertise.
The Strawberry Generation is taken from the fruit, meaning those who bruise easily, like strawberries. It refers to those who can’t withstand the social pressure of working hard like their parents’ generation. Some obvious characteristics, like highly educated but lacking practical skills and experience, having more information and knowledge but lacking the ability to apply them in real-life situations, and many more. These are perceived as being more fragile, sensitive, and less resilient compared to previous generations. Rather than blaming them for their weaknesses, we should perhaps spend more time looking at how we can cultivate their strengths and help them navigate in a world of uncertainties and rapid changes.
As parents, we have multiple roles as our children’s mentors, educators, and best friends. Hence, it is our responsibility to provide guidance, inspiration, and the tools for success they need.
I: What are the psychological symptoms that we need to know?
F: Parents need to be aware of their children’s daily behavior and physical appearance, any sign of injuries to the body or wearing a long sleeve to cover injuries, spending most of the time alone in the bedroom, keeping sharp items secretly, mood swings or being emotionally unstable, always avoiding interactions or conversations, and easily getting worried or mad or sad.
I: How to build a striving and robust mentality in facing future challenges and adaptability?
F: First, we need to identify our children’s common, strong characteristics required for them to develop themselves, like self-empowerment, adaptive to changes, knowing when to say no, admitting if making mistakes, respecting other people’s success, bouncing back up on their feet after failing, and, most importantly, never giving up. From these qualities, then we can gradually build a strong mentality, including teaching them how to control emotions, how to find inner happiness, that successes are achieved not given by others, knowing how to say no without insulting others, that people make mistakes but learn from those mistakes to be better and improve, teaching to be sportive, failing is part of the journey to achieve success, and self-motivation. Having these mentalities, hopefully, they won’t find any difficulties in adapting or adjusting to society and community. This self-actualization can lead to empathy and sympathy for helping others, so they feel more content and confident with themselves.
I: If our children suffer from bullying and depression, what should we do?
F: According to Choice Theory by Dr. William Glasser, an American psychiatrist, he emphasizes that individuals have five basic needs: survival, love and belonging, power and achievement, freedom, and fun. Although it’s not easy to accept that our children were hurt by others or are feeling depressed from external factors, we have to embrace it, stay calm. We should focus on the unfulfilled needs by listening to our children and what they want or what they expect from us. Then we train them to solve problems, and guide them along the process, give them motivation for self-love for instance doing sports so they have stress relief into positive activities.
Whatever the differences between conventional parenting to modern parenting, the core values remain significant factors. Such factors from understanding life from their eyes, including our spiritual connection to God – the creator of the universe, our sensitivity as parents, practicing problem-solving, guiding and appreciating the process, and self-love through physical, emotional, and mind exercises to look for ways to show or express love and respect.
About Fabiola Priscilla
Fabiola graduated from Atma Jaya University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and obtained a Master of Child Clinical Profession (M.Psi) from the Faculty of Developmental Psychology at the University of Indonesia. She is also a psychiatry practitioner at Sajiva Clinic in Dharmawangsa South Jakarta, a lecturer at the Faculty of Psychology of Atma Jaya University, BSD, as well as resource speaker in various electronic and print media platforms, including expert speaker for numerous parenting seminars and webinars.