Think your child tells you everything? It's time to take off your rose-colored glasses.
According to a secret Pew Research Center survey (2024), 68% of teens admitted to lying to their parents about their thoughts in the past week.
Dr. Shimi Kang , author of Generation Stress, told CNN : “Parents have no idea that their children are living in a parallel reality where TikTok is the judge and peer approval is more important than family values.”
We spoke to 100 teenagers, and their answers will make you rethink everything.
One in two participants in an anonymous study in the Journal of Adolescent Health (2023) hides symptoms of depression from their parents. “I’m afraid my mom will call me a wimp,” wrote 15-year-old Mark in the comments section of our survey.
Psychiatrist Andrei Kurpatov warns: "Teenagers' silence is a time bomb. When it explodes, parents will ask: Why didn't you tell us anything?"
But the most shocking fact: 40% of teenagers create fake accounts to spy on their parents. “I know that my dad reads my diary, so I write nonsense there, and I keep my real thoughts on Telegram,” shared 16-year-old Alina.
Psychologist Laura Siggrav advises: "Stop being an investigator. Instead, admit that you, too, are afraid of being misunderstood. This will remove the barrier."
A New York Times experiment found that families where parents share their failures are 50% more likely to hear their children open up.
"When my mom told me how she got fired, I realized for the first time: she's not a robot," wrote 17-year-old Ivan. Stop interrogating — start listening. Otherwise, you'll be the last to know the truth.
Another hidden problem is financial illiteracy. According to the National Financial Educators Council , 78% of teens don’t know how to budget, but are afraid to tell their parents.
“Daddy thinks money is not a child’s business,” says 16-year-old Katya, who spent all her savings on cosmetics at TikTok Shop.
Financier Robert Kiyosaki emphasizes in an interview with Bloomberg : “If you don’t teach children how to manage $10, they will lose $10,000 in the future.”
An equally alarming fact: 33% of teenagers hide their religious or political views. “I’m an atheist, but my mom makes me go to church. It’s easier to lie than to argue,” wrote an anonymous user on Reddit.
Sociologist Artem Sheinin comments: “The fear of condemnation forces children to live a double life.”
