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Gen Z’ers are constantly stereotyped as being children in adult bodies who lack even the most basic life skills, but it seems there may be a bit of truth to that perception. So much so, in fact, that universities are starting to address this gap in knowledge among young people.

One psychologist famous for her focus on generational differences said that the gap all comes down to another stereotype about Gen Z’s parents. Ultimately, over-involved parents have created a need for higher education institutions to teach kids how to be grown-ups.

Universities are now offering ‘Adulting 101’ courses to teach Gen Z basic life skills.

To say that Gen Z has a bad reputation among older generations would be an understatement. From employers who say they’re wholly unprepared for the workforce to teachers and professors who say they can barely handle the rigors of high school, let alone college, negative perceptions of Gen Z are bandied about constantly.

But always missing from this discourse is the simple fact that most skills are not just innately absorbed. They have to be taught. And that knowledge gap is so pronounced that even Gen Z’ers themselves see it. Now, universities are addressing it.

Multiple American and Canadian universities, including Michigan State University (this writer’s alma mater), the University of California, Riverside, and Ontario’s University of Waterloo, have added so-called “Adulting 101” courses to their undergraduate roster, and the list of skills they address is pretty shockingly lengthy.

: Gen Zer Wonders When They’ll Feel Like A ‘Real Adult’ — ‘I Don’t Feel In Control Of My Life’

The courses touch on everything from financial literacy to how to do laundry.

When I went to college in the late ’90s and early 2000s, I was shocked by the number of people I taught how to do laundry and the number of times the smoke alarms went off because a dormmate somehow nearly burned the kitchen down, making ramen or macaroni and cheese.

It seemed back then to be a socioeconomic divide: The rich kids didn’t know how to do anything, while the rest of us had already been given responsibilities that taught us some of these skills. Times really seem to have changed, however. These skills gaps seem to be far more pervasive with Gen Z, and the list of missing knowledge is lengthy.

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“I don’t know how to change a tire. I don’t have a car at all. I don’t know how to sew. I don’t know how to do a lot of things, other than cooking,” Aldhen Garcia, a Canadian college freshman, told the CBC. Financial literacy is also high on the list of priorities at many of these universities’ programs. Both Michigan State’s and UC Riverside’s classes focus heavily on these topics, along with skills like career readiness and interview preparedness.

But another student, Bella Hudson, illustrated just how wide these skill gaps may be. The college junior told CBC that she wishes her school, Toronto Metropolitan University, taught courses in “how to manage yourself and manage your life.” That’s about as basic as you get!

: The Critical Life Skill 40% Of Gen Z Struggles To Complete

One expert psychologist basically chalks up this knowledge gap to one thing: helicopter parenting.

Jean Twegea renowned psychologist and expert on child development, literally wrote the book on generation gaps, “Generations: The Real Differences Between Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, Boomers, and Silents ― and What They Mean for America’s Future.” She told CBC that what’s at the heart of this knowledge gap is the way parenting has changed. In short, she said most Gen Z’ers simply haven’t been given the opportunity to learn basic life skills, because their parents do too much for them.

Economic and longevity factors impact the situation too—people are living at home longer and living longer in general, which Twenge says delays a lot of life learning. But the main factor, she told CBC, is simply that “kids are growing up less independent.”

That’s in line with myriad perceptions and research that have shown that we Gen X’ers and Elder Millennials who were left to run feral by our boomer parents have basically swung the pendulum to the opposite extreme as parents ourselves by hovering to make sure kids never experience a single moment of adversity.

It seems to have had the impact that should probably have been obvious. “We send them off to adulthood without other skills,” Twenge told CBC. “If they’re not learning how to make decisions on their own and solve problems… then they get to university and they still don’t know.”

Twenge also pointed out the strong link studies have found between this kind of parenting and soaring rates of mental health conditions like depression and anxiety among Gen Z. Accordingly, the University of Waterloo’s director of student success Pam Charbonneau told CBC she often sees a visible relief come over Gen Z students when they realize they can attend the “Adulting 101” programs—in part because they haven’t even learned basic “self-advocacy” and so did not even know how to ask for help.

That’s a pretty astonishing phenomenon that points to a very real gap in parenting, one Twenge urged parents to address by giving kids chores like helping with cooking or laundry, rather than assuming it’s their parental duty to do these things for their kids. It will not only prepare them for the real world but also allow them to develop a sense of pride in their own abilities and those crucial self-advocacy skills that will make all the difference.

: Gen Z Won’t Truly Be Content Until They Realize ‘Most Of Life Is Just Ordinary,’ Says Michelle Obama

John Sundholm is a writer, editor, and video personality with 20 years of experience in media and entertainment. He covers culture, mental health, and human interest topics.