How I Learned to Speak Gen Z

A Gen Xer’s Guide to Connecting with the Digital Generation from Across the Globe

I’m a 59-year-old dad, born in 1966, now living in the buzzing heart of Bangkok, where tuk-tuks hum and street food sizzles. My kids, Nicolai (24) and Gia (21), are back in the Chicago area, navigating life in the U.S. with TikTok trends and X posts that go viral in hours. As a Gen Xer, I was raised on face-to-face talks—firm handshakes, long dinners, and stories that lingered past dessert.

But Gen Z? They’re firing off texts, dropping 🔥 emojis, and moving at the speed of a viral reel. Communicating with them across continents felt like cracking a code—until I learned to bridge the gap, blending my old-school roots with their digital-first world, especially through DMs on Instagram and TikTok and video calls on Zoom.