Teens Share What Adulthood Means to Them — & Where Parents Get It Wrong

Adulting can mean a lot of things, but for today’s teens, it often starts with the small, everyday tasks that give them independence. In this episode of Teens on the Street, we asked teens what makes them feel like adults — and what they wish parents understood better about their generation.

Several teens pointed to their jobs as a big marker of maturity. The responsibility of showing up, working alongside coworkers, and earning a paycheck makes them feel like they’re stepping into the adult world.

“Kind of putting in the grind, and being around older people at work really makes me feel like an adult,” one teen said about how their job at a local restaurant is a real introduction to the grown-up world. Another added: “I work in a job and [have] bigger responsibilities, like doing chores around the house and just helping out my parents.”

Others pointed to handling responsibilities at home. “Making my own breakfast, lunch, and dinner makes me feel like an adult,” one teen shared, while another explained, “My mom’s working, so I do my laundry, everything, by myself.” These daily acts of responsibility — cooking, cleaning, helping out when parents are busy — can feel like major steps into adulthood.

But while teens are busy proving they can handle life on their own, many feel like their parents don’t always see it. “Honestly, I think they overcomplicate it a little bit,” one teen said. “Sometimes they hover over us a little bit, and think that we can’t do stuff on our own, but we really can.”

Another frustration is the generational gap. One teen pointed out that while parents often insist they know what it’s like to be a teen, the truth is that growing up today is very different. “Especially with technology, I think that’s played a big role in how times have changed now compared to when they were kids,” explained one teen.

That difference in perspective shapes everything from how teens communicate to how they respond in certain situations. As one put it: “They might see some things differently as in how we’re supposed to react … because that’s not how we’ve grown up.” From the way teens learn and communicate to the way they see the world, this generation’s experiences aren’t a mirror of their parents’ — and teens want that to be acknowledged.

In the end, the message from teens is clear: adulting is about more than chores and jobs — it’s about the everyday independence of managing responsibilities, being trusted to figure things out, and being recognized for who they are now — not compared to who their parents were at the same age.