On many occasions when I talk about trends and technology, I've been asked about how to raise a child in this world of extreme changes. If we're talking about children or teenagers, the first thing to keep in mind is that we are talking about Generation Alpha, those born after 2010.
These boys and girls were born watching their parents solve doubts immediately with Google and understand that answers should be immediate. They have been raised watching influencers as references for information and misinformation, are skeptical, and very critical. They have been bombarded with stimuli since they were born, which can generate concentration problems. It is a generation that has had access to immediate education and opportunities; being impatient and demanding. They value cultures and art from other countries as they live, play, and relate to people from other cultures: something that allows them to see the world without borders and where traveling is just natural. They have been raised seeing millennials and centennials fighting to earn money to buy things they don't need, to show them off to people who don't love them: It is a generation that may have rejections to the system and to the ideal models of life. Their mental-emotional health is a constant challenge as they are being raised in the era of the greatest disruption in the history of humanity. This can generate anxiety and an unsolicited sense of responsibility. They are curious, have equality and equity as their flags, are naturally skilled with technology, and prone to try new things, without that last aspect meaning they are averse to risk. On the contrary, having been born in a decade of so many economic changes, wars, bankruptcies, and changes in large companies, they can be cautious in how they move; being a generation very skilled at diluting risk and having multiple contingency plans.
Some tips I've been thinking about for raising this generation and those to come:
Education is now a family affair; it doesn't matter if you send your children to kindergarten or school. You can no longer delegate 100% of education/knowledge to an institution or a primary caregiver. Remember that the academic curriculum is tied to country regulations or international standards that do not allow them to adapt to changes quickly. As parents, we now have the responsibility to see what knowledge and skills we want to develop in our children and work on it together.
Lead by example. Lifelong education: if you studied for a degree or perhaps a master's, I hope by this point you have understood that this is not enough. What matters is not the degree but the habit of being a lifelong learner. Hopefully, they see you studying a lot and putting it into practice, that will be the best example for what they will have to live. Ask yourself 3 things you want to learn each semester and let them see you doing it.
Promote self-awareness, self-esteem, and emotional management: the excess of digitalization generates dopamine peaks and anxiety problems. Teach your children to disconnect to connect with themselves. Guide them in the process of understanding their emotions without the need for influencers, likes, dashboards, and screens.
Promote art: regardless of the form of art your children like, support it. The skills that are not easily replaceable by machines are those related to empathy, sensitivity, artistic concepts, or similar. And if perhaps you wonder how generative AI comes into play, remember that this technology helps in the inspiration and production stage, but curation, concept connection, and final launch require human skills. Helping children work on what makes us human will put them in a better position for the future.
Your children will live 100 or 120 years: this is the reality, and everything will change. A marriage for life will be for 100 years on average, their pensions may be financed in different ways (perhaps taxes on AI algorithm productivity), states will have to change educational models for adults and much more. This generation will promote structural changes to the world based on longevity and environmental issues. Empower your children with the security they need to rethink the rules of life and understand that our norms can be rewritten. The "default" mode and life can be altered and chosen.
Promote steps to connect with the environment: at one time I asked a city child what he saw in a photo of a farm, and he said trees. I asked the same question to a child raised in the countryside and his answer was Willows, eucalyptuses, and Pines. Letting children learn about ecosystems, animals, and diversity will make them more aware of the world they have to recover.
Teach them to take risks: Encourage them to learn things they feel uncomfortable with, to start businesses, to go to different places and know multiple ways of thinking. Knowing how to take measured risks will be a skill that will put them in a better competitive position.
In contrast, teach them to balance and dilute risks. Financial education and the ability to mitigate financial risks in life is a key skill for their development and anxiety mitigation.
Help them make the most of AI assistants after they turn 5. The first years of life develop 90% of neural connections so make sure that space is prioritized for emotional development, safe environments, and knowledge of the essentials of life. Once this stage passes, help them understand how AI assistants can help them in life to enhance their skills: cook better, write code better, write poems, do calculations, invest, etc.
Don't forget critical analysis, ethics, and community. This generation is bombarded with information and will be the most immersed in the world of deepfakes. Help them understand how these technologies work, the questions to ask about the origin of the data, the veracity of the information, the ethical origin of how algorithms make decisions, and the avenues of those who could have made them. Show them that the world is still the result of the construction of other human beings who are no smarter than them, and therefore, they must take a stand.
And lastly, the most important thing. Give them what only you can give them. Love them intensely. Make them feel loved, secure, and valued. Let your presence be one of tranquility, acceptance, and support. Let your gaze be one of affection and camaraderie to accompany them in this crazy world that we will face together.
Share this document with your family and friends. I hope it can be a source of discussion at family meals and help in your parenting plans.
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