Raising Generation Alpha Kids: A Parenting Guide

For years, experts have focused on Millennials, the first generation raised in a predominantly digital world. They have examined their behaviors and desires, as well as their societal rise and economic impact. As they aged, they made way for a new generation, their children: Generation Alpha. If you’re a Millennial parent or a secondary caretaker of a Generation Alpha child, wondering what this generation means and what it will bring, you’re not alone.

What Is Generation Alpha?

Generation Alpha are typically the children of Millennials, but some are from Generation X or Baby Boomers. Millennials are those individuals born between 1981 and 1996, while Generation Alpha are born from 2010 to 2025, making them the first group born entirely in the 21st century. With an estimated 2.5 million Alpha births yearly, predictions indicate they will total over 2 billion by 2025.

Why Alpha?

Mark McCrindle, an award-winning Australian social and demographic researcher, first coined the term Generation Alpha in 2005 when he and his team conducted a survey across Australia about the upcoming generation’s name. Based on that research and their discussions, they chose Generation Alpha as the next generation’s name. Others quickly adopted it as it perfectly represented the new rise of lives built around technology and sciences in the 21st century.

Additionally, the preceding Generation Z finished using the Latin alphabet. It seems like a logical choice to start with the Greek alphabet.

Parenting Alphas

As with every new generation, Alpha children bring with them their own unique challenges and considerations for their parents and caretakers. A notable difference between Alphas and previous generations is their experience with and expectations of technology and media. It is predicted that they will be the most technologically savvy generation, with the first child born in 2010, the same year the first iPad was released and Instagram launched. These technologies are now so prevalent in youth experiences that they almost feel like necessary companions.

Social media, digital innovations, and smartphones are just a few examples of technologies that were new to us but are commonplace for this generation. Many Millennial parents introduce their children to media through devices before they can even talk. This just goes to show how much of an influence and impact this content has on the young generation’s ideas and opinions. With social networking platforms, kids have information at their fingertips. Whether watching their favorite influencers, interacting with other consumers, or being exposed to various topics, media can influence how children perceive their environment.

The rise of technology has sparked debate on its monitoring and control. Unlike previous generations, Alphas are born into tech and instinctively use it, especially touchscreens. There’s no universal solution to the problem of using technology at a young age, though research continues to evolve as Alphas age. Meanwhile, parents will decide what’s best for their children. While it may improve educational experiences and knowledge, the concern of extended screen time could also impact a child’s development.

A Wealth of Information

Raising a Generation Alpha child has its pros and cons due to the abundance of information available to parents. Modern parents can find answers to nearly any question online. However, this access brings many opinions on parenting methods, some supported by scientific facts and others not, making it difficult to differentiate between helpful and harmful advice. In these cases, it’s best to research what you can and set consistent boundaries or expectations for your child.

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