I think there is a lot of perspective involved in this discussion. What is true for some won’t be true for all. I grew up in an industrial town. During the 70s/80s there was a lot of upheaval. Many of my friends didn’t do as well as their parents. You could pull cancerous fish out of the river. A nearby one caught fire. Much improved on all counts since. Though still issues remain.
Will kids be better off? In what sense? Income? Quality of life?