As a parent of 3 Gen Z's (from the perspective of a Gen X parent & Greatest Generation grandparents....)
Everything comes down to values. Values and value systems are learned at home in childhood.
My family tends to skip generations. My parents were born in the 1930's (Younger Greatest Generation people) and they had children late - in their 30's. So I am the oldest of 4 Generation Xers. Like my parents (who both had law degrees and valued education), my sisters and I all got degrees and focused on edcation first, financial self sufficiency second, and getting married 3rd. I had my 3 kids in my 30s.
So my family skipped the Baby Boomers, and skipped the Millenials too. So in my family we have Gen Z learning the values from Gen X, who learned values from Greatest Generation individuals.
Interestingly my Gen Z children held their Greatest Generation grandparents in very high esteem and are emulating them. And my ex husband and I have been very open about dealing with people, money, influences and attitudes. I think that has helped.
They have work ethic (my son was regional sales leader in an automotive company as a part time gig while in college), and people skills (my ex husband and I required them to learn to talk to people rather than burying themselves in electronics.)
But here is the biggest thing my kids have learned or are in process of learning:
You are NOT a special snowflake. Neither is mom or dad. The world owes you nothing and does NOT care about you. The world only cares about your results, and will reward you based on your results. So get the right results and the rest will follow suit. That leads into goal settng, achievement mindset and positive thinking.
So if you work hard and work smart and get good results you can make a name for yourself in the world.
And I gave them each a copy of 48 Laws of Power.
I remember my son (in the 8th grade) telling me he wanted to study mechanical engineering at MIT. Here's what I told him:
Ok son. Next year you start high school. It is straight As or bust. In high school your grades count from the get-go"......
Well he got a C in math his first semester as a high school freshman.
So we sat down over the Christmas break. I told him:
Ok son. MIT is off the table. You have not performed well enough to qualify for MIT and you have thrown the chance for that opportunity away. You did not get the result that opportunity REQUIRES for consideration. He wanted to argue.
I explained to him that every kid they accept has straight As. So he is no longer in the running. That was a tough eye opening lesson for him at 13.
But he took it to heart and took his results far more seriously after that.
One final thought: There are lots of crappy, lazy parents out there who are doing a terrible job of preparing teenagers for adulthood. Some of my peers thought my parenting was too tough. But being a parent is about training up the youth to handle adult life, not about being BFFs with your teen. Love them yes, but equip them. That's not easy. My children appreciate those hard lessons as life brings those values into sharp focus.
Just as my parents did for me. My $0.02.
. The same story plays out right here on SS. Women don't want you and employers don't either. Tough world. 
www.newsweek.com
