Top News

In a recent TikTok, certified parenting coach Kim Muench expressed concern for parents dealing with Gen Z sons who are overstaying their welcome at their parents’ home. 

She dubbed it “stay-at-home son syndrome,” a phenomenon in which young men are falling victim to stagnation, unwilling to turn away from gaming all night, and failing to prioritize goal-setting. Even going as far as to call it an “epidemic.”

Surprisingly, Muench said it isn’t solely about laziness. As a Gen Z man myself, I sympathize with those who feel compelled to stay home. As the world around us gets more and more unpredictable, there’s a certain comfort and security that staying at home offers as opposed to going out and trying to make it. As a result, stay-at-home son syndrome is a result of numerous factors that are contributing to Gen Z men feeling stuck.

Stay-at-home son syndrome is a result of factors beyond mere laziness among Gen Z men.

For one, the job market seems to be, as economics experts are saying (albeit dramatically), leaning away from men. According to writer John Mac Ghlionn at The Hill, male-dominated fields such as technology and finance are seeing record employment cuts. This is not only kicking many men out of their existing jobs, but it’s also the reason why many college-educated men are having trouble finding work in their field of study.

PeopleImages / Shutterstock

Meanwhile, female-dominated fields such as education and social services are comparatively thriving. With the rise of AI and our world becoming more tech-centered than ever, jobs that require softer skills and genuine human social and emotional support are invaluable. 

This is also why women’s wages as a whole have climbed steadily since the ’60s while men’s haven’t really at the same pace (of course, the gender wage gap plays a part in this, but more on that later). 

Not to mention, men are no longer the majority pursuing higher education. As a result, those who don’t are making it harder to find and keep a job. This was confirmed by research from the Pew Research Center, which determined that men without a college degree leave the workforce at higher rates than men with degrees.

: Gen Z, Millennial, Gen X & Boomer Men Have Completely Different Ideas Of What It Means To Be A Provider

Gen Z men should be encouraged to pursue jobs that have been socially labeled feminine.

We need to adapt. Feminized workplaces, or workplaces that society relegates to women’s work, produce some of the most valuable things that too many people take for granted. 

These workplaces include, as mentioned before, education, social services, hospitality, healthcare, and any sort of work that requires a human with patience, empathy, and compassion for others. 

Drazen Zigic / Shutterstock

This is not to say that women are the only ones that can offer this form of labor, nor do I condone the assumption that women are supposed to care for others simply because they are women. What I mean is that we need to flip the script on what it means to be a working man in this society. We need to ditch the idea that it’s women’s work or men’s work. Work is work, and we all contribute to the functioning of our world no matter our gender identity.

It can be easy to assume that the gender wage gap is the reason why so many men aren’t going into female-dominated fields. However, a massive part of it is really about gender stereotypes. It doesn’t have to be this way, though. Men can pursue care work just as much as women can pursue big tech. Though, right now, it seems like it’s in everyone’s best interest to pursue human-centered work.

As Ghlionn put it quite plainly, “Men should feel pride in classrooms and hospital wards — the same pride they feel on construction sites or in boardrooms. These jobs build the future as surely as bridges or businesses.”

While the job market is trending downward in male-dominated fields, contributing to Gen Z men staying home longer, we need to help them understand that those jobs aren’t the only options. 

It is not an excuse to avoid female-dominated fields simply because they might not pay as well. The value, and subsequent wages, of those jobs are increasing exponentially as of late, and Gen Z men need to get that through their heads. Especially in this economy. It’s better for everyone if Gen Z men have a job than none at all.

: Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X & Boomers Have Completely Different Ideas Of What Hard Work Means

Luke Aliga is a writer with a degree in Technical Writing and Communication who covers relationships, culture, and human interest topics.