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adult children
Trends
- 1
The Wall Street Journal examines the growing number of adult children choosing to cut off contact with their parents, a trend often called estrangement. The piece looks at the reasons behind family rifts, including boundaries, mental health, and differing values, and the emotional toll on both sides. Readers are debating whether such cutoffs are a legitimate act of self-protection or a troubling sign of family breakdown.
- 2Schoolchildren without smartphones face higher bus fares in England●Schoolchildren without smartphones penalised with higher bus fares
Schoolchildren in England who do not own a smartphone are being charged higher bus fares than their peers, the Guardian reports. Discounted child fare schemes often require payment or ticket verification through a smartphone app, leaving children without devices — often because their parents restrict screen use — to pay the full adult-style rate. Critics say the system effectively penalises families who choose to delay smartphones, and calls are growing for transport operators to offer non-app alternatives such as physical passes or cash payments.