navigating the big issues in young adulthood

Research shows that young adults thrive when they are supported by their parents, and that they want you to ask about things that are important to them. You might:

• Ask if you could attend rallies or events with your young person
• Ask if there are any articles, videos, or podcasts they could share that might help you learn more about their views
  
  

Check in on how they’re feeling. You might say something like “I noticed there was a tonne of stuff on the news today about the fires...how are you feeling about that?”

As your young person develops a healthy sense of self that is separate from parents and family, you may notice that their views differ from yours more than they did in the past. It can be challenging to accept your young person’s perspective – particularly when you don’t agree! Regardless of whether your views align, you can support your young person by acknowledging how they feel.

Focus on their emotions instead of opinions:

• For example, an opinion is “there’s no point in studying anyway, I’ll never get a job” but the underlying emotion may be worry or fear
• You might say something like “It must be hard feeling worried about that all the time”
  
  

Be mindful that drawing comparisons between young adulthood today and in the past may not be helpful. Your young person’s experience is real for them and that’s what matters.

Young adults often keep up with news or current events through social media. Your young person may seem anxious or unsettled after social media use or watching, reading, or talking about the news, particularly during coverage of natural disasters or wars.

• If you notice your young person seems unsettled by something they’ve seen or heard, you might try discussing coverage of current events and ask questions like ‘Are you seeing a lot about [war, natural disaster] at the moment? How are you feeling seeing that all the time?’, or ‘Are you OK after watching that?’
  
  
• If your young person lives at home, try starting conversations about how you can work together to create an environment that supports wellbeing.
  • Making small changes, like making time to talk about hopeful events around the dinner table, can help reduce feelings of anxiety or hopelessness
    
    
  • Consider your own media consumption (like watching the news) and how it might affect your young person’s wellbeing
    
    

Content on social media is not subject to the same ‘checks and balances’ as traditional news sources, and news coverage is becoming increasingly sensational. This means that it wouldn’t be uncommon for young adults to come across inaccurate information in the flow of information they are exposed to.

If you’re concerned about what your young person is reading or watching, it can help to start conversations about media literacy. To find out more, check out this guide to fake news by the eSafety Commissioner, and this infographic on media literacy from the Museum of Australian Democracy.

Engaging in positive actions that relate to your young person’s interests can help them develop their sense of identity, feel more hopeful about the future, and build connections with people with shared values. You might talk to your young person about:

• Taking small steps towards change at home – everyday actions like composting or riding a bike (instead of driving) to work can support your young person’s wellbeing.
  
  
  • While it can help to encourage everyday actions, be open to your young person feeling that these are ‘not enough’ in the face of today’s issues
    
    
• Planning ahead – creating a bushfire plan, first aid kit, or emergency evacuation box can help your young person feel prepared and reduce worry
  
  
• Volunteering – try working with your young person to find options in their local area. Foodbank, animal shelters, homelessness services, Landcare, wildlife services like WIRES or local SES, or climate change organisations can be a good place to start.

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