Forever & Always

Chapter 11: Agliophobia✔️

(n) - the fear of being hurt

Pronounced: ally-o-phobia

Note: This chapter is based on how I really feel. It's based on my personal feelings and is not meant to offend anyone in any way. I genuinely thought about this today and decided to write about it. I can't say this is how everyone feels, these are just my personal feelings and experiences.

Thank you.

•Winter's pov•

Adults have always wondered why this generation is the way it is. Why kids don't go outside anymore, why kids are always on their PlayStation or Xbox, their phones and laptops. They always say, "we didn't have that growing up" or "back in the day, me and my friends always went out together" or even "what's wrong with kids these days." People think Gen- Z is the worst generation of all time.

But that's not it at all.

I used to think I was born in the wrong generation. Don't you ever just want to drive out to the middle of nowhere early in the morning and look up at the stars with someone special right next to you as you watch the sunrise? Don't you ever want to have dates where you and your significant other drive to a secluded, quiet place, get in the trunk with all your blankets, pillows, favorite snacks, and a movie? Don't you ever wish that the only thing you could count on to never hurt you wasn't just music?

There are many reasons why kids don't go outside and hang out with their friends. Some kids are cruel. They will do anything to make themselves the popular ones or to get the hottest guy in school. They say things to other kids that make them think things that kids shouldn't ever think about. They laugh at your insecurities and judge you based on things that should never matter.

Technology is a blessing in this generation. We don't have to bear the cruel things kids say to our faces. Video games are ways to get your mind off of things and do things with your friends that you're both good at and enjoy. Social media is a way to express yourself and get creative. Apps can be ways that you find inspiration and a love for new things.

Kids rather stay inside cooped up in their rooms, playing video games and going on their phones or laptops because no one will judge them in any way. Kids are more comfortable being alone in their rooms because it's their safe place, the only place where they can truly be themselves. You can't do anything without being judged in one way or another these days. Not only is technology advancing, but people are experiencing new things in their lives whether it be sexualities, discrimination against other races, nationalities and ethnicities, or just a boy simply being into makeup and skirts rather than muscle tees and sports.

No one can be who they truly are without getting judged in some way. Boys who want to dress more feminine get bullied because "skirts and makeup are for girls only." Girls who want to play sports get told off because "sports aren't meant for girls." Girls and boys get stereotyped based on things that shouldn't matter. That's why many kids prefer solitude rather than companionship. Because they can be who they are without worrying about what other people say, think, or do.

Now, this isn't how everybody feels, but this is how a lot of kids feel. Parents say that we can tell them anything and everything, but there are some things parents just won't understand. Many parents don't take the time to check on their children's mental health. Mental and emotional health are just as important as physical health. This is why, in my opinion, Gen- Z will make good parents.

They won't get mad at you for not getting straight A's, because we know how hard school is. We won't say that our children aren't depressed and that they're just overreacting, because we know how real that is. We won't ignore our children's mental and emotional health, because we know how important that is. We won't wonder why our children won't go out with their friends, because we didn't either. It's because we know. We know how crazy people are in this world. We know what could happen to our children in this cruel world. We understand their reasons and what they're going through.