5 Practices to Change the IQ Decline in Gen Z Children

Recently, I viewed a post by @mybrain.books. This post laid out a troubling issue. This issue reveals declining IQ scores in Gen Z. An article by Edward Dutton, Dimitri van der Linden, and Richard Lynn (2016) explained the issue in further detail. 

“...A number of prominent studies have reported a reversal in the Flynn Effect, beginning in the latter decades of the twentieth century. A number of these studies (e.g. Sundet, Barlaug, & Torjussen, 2004) draw upon annually accrued conscript military data, which involves the vast majority of the nation's males in any given annual cohort. Accordingly, they allow us to conclude that there is a continuous decline in IQ scores over time” (p. 164).  

Obviously, we can come to the conclusion for ourselves without a study. We can hear some Gen Zers speak, and cognitively, something seems off. I’m not saying this to shame or put down anyone. I just want to state the facts of a real issue. Subsequently, we need to help our young people reclaim their right to learning and knowledge. How can we do this?

It’s time to make a change. It’s time to lead our young people to a future where they can achieve great knowledge. Knowledge is power, as they say, and we must help them find success. 

• Remove them from the system.
• Encourage free learning.
• Discuss screen time boundaries. 
• Make time for hard things.
• Encourage mental stimulation.

Step Up

Step 1: Remove them from the system. The system trains students to become robotic workers. They know when to raise their hand and when not to speak. They follow orders, and if they question the system, they are labeled as unruly. Get them out of this system that programs our children to become robots. 

Step 2: Encourage free learning. Let your children learn through play and exploration. Motivate them to deep dive into topics or simply use their imagination when they’re playing. This helps them discover a sense of self and see learning as a positive, not a negative. 

Step 3: Discuss screentime boundaries. In life, they will have to use screens, but boundaries are important. If your child learns how to manage screens now, this will help them later in life. Screens impact our intelligence, so we must understand the importance of boundaries. Have open conversations about the dark sides of screentime and discuss how your children can use screens to foster creativity and learning. 

Step 4: Make time for hard things. Invigorate your homeschoolers to conquer hard things by themselves. This could involve solving a hard math problem. Or they could climb a tree on their own. Inspire them and tell them that they can do hard things.

Step 5: Encourage your homeschoolers to incorporate mental stimulation into their daily routine. Examples of mental stimulation include:

• Reading a book
• Writing a short story
• Solving a puzzle or equation
• Deep diving into a new topic, such as deep-sea creatures or medieval castles
• Playing an instrument

These practices stimulate the mind and show homeschoolers that learning comes in all shapes and sizes. In addition, they will discover that learning is a lifelong process.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the IQ gap is a crisis. It needs to be addressed, and parents must be aware of this issue. These five practices can help homeschool families restore intellectualism and bring back lifelong learning in the Z generation. All hope is not lost. Homeschooling can lead the charge for renewal and restoration where learning is concerned. 

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- NxtEra

Written by Bethany (@thebookwormgirl_bethany)

Sources and Links:

https://www.instagram.com/p/DVWk-UCAZir/?img_index=1

The negative Flynn Effect: A systematic literature review