Growing Up in an Inflationary Environment: A Teen's Struggle

I’m sure a lot of you have noticed how prices for everyday stuff just keep going up. This is what we all call inflation. Just a few years back, things like phones, bottled water, bread, and headphones were way cheaper than they are now. Being a teenager in a country dealing with inflation can be really frustrating and tiring. This is especially true in Nigeria, where many parents don’t provide financial support for their teens or let them work to make some cash on their own. A lot of teens are still in secondary or even primary school, so they miss out on the chance to become independent. In many other countries, teens can rely less on their parents to meet basic needs. Instead of guiding us on how the system really works and how we can start making money early by picking up skills, many parents think that just getting an education is enough, even as living costs keep rising. Take phones, for example. These days, the average teenager in Nigeria can barely afford a brand-new phone due to soaring inflation. Even older models that used to be budget-friendly are now pricey. While we can’t control inflation, picking up skills early and getting a grasp on how the economy functions can really help teenagers adapt and get by.

Most parents of this generation have zero clue how the system works, so explaining that to their young won't be that easy either. The truth is, most people haven't still realized that the system was never meant to revolve around them. They believe every child who goes to school must have equal opportunities in life, when in reality, majority of the opportunities lies in the hands of a very few. Personally, I don't despise education, and I  think it is very important for almost everyone to get educated if possible, but it is also not completely safe to see it as an exit plan out of poverty or inflation, especially when these opportunities lies in the hands of a very few. No doubt, getting a skill is great, but of course with a touch of education. There is a difference between teenagers trying to learn a skill so as protect themselves from future embarrassment, and a teenager trying to get money at a tender age just because the parents are not showing their support. Any parent failing to support a child is automatically throwing that child into the hustling field. I doubt if most children who fall under this category ends up learning a skill. Majority of them might prefer to pick up a per time job at a restaurant or elsewhere because of their desperate needs. We can't blame them for that.

Building/developing independence as a teenager is great, but in most countries around the world, most teenagers are under the guidance and dependence of their parents. Of course, this dependence would vary, based on family, culture, country, society and race. This is not a Nigerian thing. It is not a situation peculiar to Nigeria. Teenagers ought to be in school, what is wrong with that? I don't know the part of Nigeria you live in, but where i live, so many teenagers are involved in one skill or the other during the holiday season. The only reason why teenage employment is low in Nigeria is basically because we operate a salary payment system and not an hourly pay system. For example, in the United States, teenagers can work even on school days, but of course there is a limited number of work hours allowed. This limit increases during the holidays when school closes. An hourly payment system is favorable for students, because of its flexibility, and since we hardly operate this, it hampers teenage/student employment in the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Lol. What are you talking about mate. Teenagers in many countries across the world get their phones from their parents/guardians. How in the world have you made this a "Nigerian problem". *Facepalm*.

Parents are now realizing the important of embedding your children with the right skills needed for self capital development. Children can now become graduates in their various field of learning a skill which will help them in the future sooner as they tend to mix the technology of the skills they’ve acquired to the modern teaching they can afford in order to make a sustainable living. Teenagers can still tap from the challenges and pin point some of the challenges they’re facing and how the government can come to their aid and help them grow. In a country like Nigeria, teenagers are most often still under the care of their parents even if they have the most knowledge to be able to take care of themselves. Culturally, they believe that will come about modesty amongst the children in this modern world where kids gets addicted to the social media platforms on negative things.

Inflation is not just limited to one region or country. Inflation has been a major challenge to the world economy it has been there over the years and it will continue to be here as long as life continues. The problem is this, some of our parents are just used to the old system of how things were being run in the 70s and thereabouts, they still believe in that old order of going to school and graduate and get a good job. But you as a teenager who has seen what's happening in today's world, you can sit your parents down and let them know that you prefer skills than going through class room education. Give them the reasons why skills are the most sought after in today's labour market. As an informed young adult you can sit your parents down and have a productive discussion with them. If you don't tell them they won't know and they will continue making same old mistakes.

When you said inflation-stricken, you're saying as if inflation is a disease. As far as the prevailing paradigm is concerned, it isn't. It isn't a disease; it's a feature, a fundamental characteristic of the fiat system. Even the most livable cities and countries in the world have inflation. However, inflation isn't something we can't control. It is or should be controlled and moderated. That's why there's the central bank and the government in general. It's their role to make sure inflation is within target. Be that as it may, I agree that learning skills early on can help you survive and win the race against inflation. Make yourself valuable. Equip yourself with the right abilities, so that you aren't helpless in the face of inflation. Make sure that the rate at which the prices of goods and services are increasing can't match the flow of your income.

You can take a role in avoiding being completely dependent on your parents while completing secondary education. This applies to children whose parents play a significant role in their lives. However, if you are a relatively independent child, working while pursuing education is also a wise choice, but it shouldn't affect your learning process during adolescence. Building independence without relying on your parents is certainly good, but we also cannot neglect education, which is considered quite important because the system revolves not only around one person but also around everyone, especially for the generation of teenagers who are searching for their identity and ultimately becoming responsible for themselves and their future after marriage. Inflation occurs all the time and perhaps not only in their generation, but how a teenager can find solutions in such conditions so that they can continue to encourage self-improvement which ultimately makes them more resilient in facing uncertain economic situations.

Of course we have seen it happen all over the world, inflation is a global problem not a problem faced by a particular country. Well about that there is nothing you can do about it, hence it has become a culture in that region. But However not every parent that don't support their children, some who don't have money to afford your education will allow you to learn skill and become useful in life while some who has money already will not allow you to learn skill but will train you to become a better person. All their plans is to see the best in yiu and not the other way round. I don't know about you but I know that parents in Africa try as much as possible to train their children academically, morally, religiously and otherwise just to see the very best in them. We as Africa believe and have that mentally that provided you are in our custody as parents you have no right to make all your decision, what ever you are told to do is what you will do, although the decision are not that rigid, you can make your personal decision is the aspect you have the right to but not in all ramifications. our way of doing things and that's the white are not thesame so you don't compare. If you are tired of your country because of the type of lifestyle then you can go to the UK and do as it pleases you.

What part of the country are you from? Maybe this parental behaviors you're talking maybe a culture of your ethnicity because Nigeria I know is that parents are in full reasonable of their children as long they're still under th parental control. Nigerian parents are much concerned for the success of their children and starts setting responsible and educative paces for their kids that when they grows up, they'll be successful and be self independent. Some also projects the wellbeing of their children so that the child can be successful and also take good care of them, (parent? When they grows up. Perhaps both skills and educations are being advised by parents that their children should consider a priority for parents towards their children, they only leads the child towards where they can afford the fees and also considers what's best adaptive for their kids. Nigerian parents are superb to their children ok only that there're abject poverty within.

The world needs stability in order to keep inflation under control. Unfortunately things like Russia invading Ukraine created unnecessary turbulence, as they were both major producers of things like wheat - a crucial ingredient for many staple foods. When a major source of food supply gets knocked out, richer countries look elsewhere and take the supply away because they can pay higher costs more easily. It seems like these sort of worldwide shocks are getting more common, but we can only hope that things like that war resolve themselves quickly which would help with deflation.

Two things about inflation that I indirectly and simply taught my children are: 1. Buying wants instead of needs leads to bad things (prices become expensive). 2. If your money sits in a savings account, its value will decrease. I hope this understanding will spark their desire to manage their money wisely. And this is what my children are doing with their understanding: My second daughter, a 10-year-old girl, is a spendthrift and loves to snack. She took my advice with the understanding that as long as she's productive, she can spend her money however she wants. This thinking motivated her to sell a Japanese food called mochi. On weekdays, she can make a net profit of USD 25 per day, and on weekends, she can make up to USD 50 per day, or during bazaars, she can earn USD 100 per event. She's now learning to save money to buy expensive things he wants, using his own hard work. She even now has two employees.My first child, a 13-year-old boy, Hei is very discipline, very frugal, buying things but not excessively and diligently setting aside his allowance, resulting in a substantial savings. He's not very creative and not very intelligent. Unlike his younger sister, he prefers to save his money to accumulate gold and bitcoin.

With a high rate of unemployment in some countries, school degrees can no longer guarantee a job after graduation. Many parents are encouraging their children to learn alternative skills even as they go to school. As a teenager, you shouldn't wait for your parents to do everything for you. You can learn several skills online and you will get their support.      When I see how desperate young children are to own phones, I begin to wonder what they need them for. Some of them want phones just for entertainment. I am sure parents will get any device for a child if it is needed for something productive. Inflation is here to stay. Young people should focus on learning skills or studing course that offer oppurtunities to earn high pay. They should also acquire more than one skill that would help them get more than one sources of income.

Due to the importance of technology most parents are now encouraging their children and the teenage to own a smart phone or even buy for them. When i was in school as a teenager it was difficult to own a phone then phone was expensive base on the economy people who owns then wasn't much. The price of goods and services is really increasing in this present time and most teenager now has phone due to the growth of technology. Where most parents failed is the expect of seeing education as the all and all they refused let us learn some skills which is also important in our society.

Nowadays, having skills can help you get a job quickly, but that doesn't mean that education or degrees are useless. Schools and degrees are not as useless as you think. Don't blame your parents for forcing you to follow that path or don't blame your education if you graduate but don't get the job you expected. Because look at the most successful people in the world, how many of them got to the top with just a few skills? Or why many graduates can get good jobs but we can't? Skills are important, but it's best to have both qualifications and skills. If you only have a degree without skills, you will have a hard time competing, but if you only have skills without a degree, your opportunities will sometimes be limited.

I agree with you and this is becoming the new normal. Among young people now, we are not going to compare them with what was happening in the past where children were exclusively to the tutelage and financial care of their children. But I don't blame the parents so much in the past because they were acting according to the situation on ground. Children in the past didn't have same opportunity that the new generation kids have now. Their focus was education and that was what their parents drove them into because they felt that was the only way to survive, like after school, you get a job, start investing, get married etc. The opportunities for kids of today are now so much for them to choose from. One factor that has given more edge to kids of today is the social media which is supported by smart phones and internet facility plus access to it that connects you from your rural home to white house where the tenant their can view your works. Kids are skit makers and millionaires even more than their parents. Some kids have become breadwinners to their families while the parents become their managers. There are so many opportunities to children of today that while they are still in school, they still make money from trading, investment in crypto, skit making, designs etc.

This is the scenario of all the poor and developing countries, not just Nigeria. Inflation rates are pretty high in developing and poor countries compared to rich countries. It's hard to fully support teenagers for poor families, and allowing them to work means they will be out of education, and that would create more poor in the nation. Without being literate, you can't survive very well nowadays, so in all situations, poor families face difficulties. In developed countries, even parents don't need to support their teenage child. Because part-time jobs' salary is even enough for them to survive in a good condition. Their parents encourage them to learn works or develop a skill from the beginning of school life. So their child really doesn't need to depend on their parents. Even though we are poor, we need to be smart and teach our kids to develop their skills. Developing and poor countries are really helpless. There is no solution unless countries' economies develop and solve the unemployment rates.

A few years ago, smartphones were cheaper but their capabilities weren't as good as they are today. Economic inflation, more research and development, lead to higher prices too. Growing up as a teen in an inflation-stricken country can be a motivation for many kids. When I was a kid, I was working online. I learnt Photoshop, After Effects and other software, I was doing gigs online and I was earning my money. My parents didn't have money to give me to buy some candies or soda at school, so that became my motivation. I'm glad I had a computer at least because without it I wouldn't be able to do that. In rich countries, teens can start working and even with a basic job, they can rent an apartment and take care of themselves. That's impossible for many adults in my country. I work multiple jobs to afford rent and a normal lifestyle and it's very depressing. Btw I believe that all parents are programmed to force their children to attend university. Thousands of people finish university every year in my country and 99% of them work very low-paying jobs or don't work at all.

From that one example alone, I was very surprised. I didn't know that Nigeria had a higher inflation rate than I had imagined. I am concerned about this. And I am beginning to understand how difficult it is for teenagers there to struggle with economic challenges, inflation, and possibly even recession. I checked it out, and it turns out that what the OP said is true, Nigeria's inflation rate is indeed quite high compared to what is happening in my country, Indonesia. Here is a comparison of the data from the source I visited. Nigeria inflation 2025 (Sourch: https://id.tradingeconomics.com/nigeria/inflation-cpi) Indonesia's Inflation in 2025 (Sourch: https://id.tradingeconomics.com/indonesia/inflation-cpi) Perhaps in 2025, the situation will improve slightly. However, I believe the number will still be quite high. I was surprised that at the end of 2024, the number was even above 30%.

I'm not being rude here, but please it's essential that you go through every single thing I wrote because I can remember vividly that I didn't ever say education or degrees are useless please. And I don't also think its useless but very important that children are been thought from an early age to acquire skills and not just depend only on education. We all know that in the country we live in education alone isn't enough to guarantee one's success and that's why I like the point where u said the both has to work together. We all should stop being sentimental here, I know that few parents accept their children to start earning early or start labouring early while still in secondary or primary schools, but most of us where thought to always pay attention to our books saying, as many would say "education alone is the key" Thanks alot "bazzu" for helping me show them an image so they can see what we see, I appreciate a lot. Y'all keep encouraging me every day. I was currently thinking how I could explain more until I saw this, and I recommend others to view this to understand more and get where I'm coming from. Now imagine an average teen probably in secondary School or primary still depending on their parents with their own needs in an inflation country as Nigerian

I understand what OP is saying now after seeing this data. Honestly, I initially thought that even in Indonesia, we had to fight hard to improve our financial status. And here, the economic challenges are also very tough, especially with the ever-increasing business competition that makes the market feel crowded. Although I am not a businessman, I am surrounded by people who are in business, which makes me aware of how difficult it is because they often complain to me. But it seems that the difficulties in our country are nothing compared to what is happening in Nigeria. I can imagine that struggling there would be even more difficult. I now understand that they are struggling harder than we are here. But from the data you have shown, we can see that the inflation rate there continues to fall. Meanwhile, in Indonesia, it continues to rise, although it is still within normal limits. In 2024, Nigeria appears to be experiencing level 3 inflation, which is severe inflation (inflation above 30%) that will certainly harm the economy there. However, in 2025, it seems that the inflation rate there will drop to level 2, which is moderate inflation (inflation of 10-30%). Level 2 is actually still quite dangerous, even for those with a fixed income, and will be even worse for those with an irregular income. However, their inflation rate is now approaching 10%, although it is still at 16%. I think that given the month-on-month decline this year, Nigeria will soon recover and their economy will improve in the coming years. Meanwhile, Indonesia remains at Level 1 (below 10%), indicating that our economy is relatively healthy. We should be grateful for that.