"One day, we might look back at the coronavirus pandemic as yet another societal cataclysm that shaped a young generation of Americans, like 9/11 or the Great Recession."

"Perhaps the hardship will make them heartier, or maybe more anxious. Or the long lens of history will reveal this as a time when teens’ addiction to social media and virtual communication – the focus of such parental angst — brought unexpected salvation. But for now, we’re all still in the woods, amid school closings and canceled graduations and proms, the fresh demands of distance learning and the persistent drone of children whining to be with their friends. The fault lines of modern parenting that separate those who can draw a firm line from those loathe to say 'No' have never been more exposed. Elisa would say 'No' if she felt it would matter, but her son’s nature isn’t going to change overnight. Julian loves people and the outdoors. ('Adrenaline rush, that’s my kind of thing,' he says.) Plus he’s impulsive — a trait of his ADHD — and boyishly 'hard-headed,' said his mother, despite him turning 18 in October."

From "He’s 18 and wants to hang with 'his boys.' His mom hasn’t been able to stop him" (WaPo).