Gen Alpha is on the rise. They are the first generation to grow up completely surrounded by smart devices. Gen Z was the last generation to grow up without an ipad stuck to their face to keep them quiet. On another hand, Gen Alpha is dependent on smart devices in order to be quiet.

As a young kid, when sitting in the waiting room, there were two options: talk with your family or use your imagination. In restaurants, paper placemats with tic-tac-toe, word searches, and crossword puzzles were given to kids alongside a set of crayons. Today, there is a tablet set in the corner of the booth with mobile games on it.

The smart device is hands down the best way to make your kid be quiet; it almost works too well. With an ipad, a kid can have the time of their life with their own little window to the whole world. Free from outside distractions such as family and boredom. With an ipad, they will never be bored. They can simply fall down the TikTok rabbit hole and swipe away the rest of their life.

But the calmness always erupts into anger when the ipad is taken away without the kid’s approval. Hell hath no fury like a mad five year old, especially out in public when all the parents want to do is have a nice dinner.

Gen Alpha needs to learn that boredom is a part of life. That staring at the wall and thinking is actually good for the mind. It promotes the use of imagination by forcing oneself to play made up situations in their mind.

Parents of Gen Alpha need to learn that the ipad is not a piece of tape that can be used to shut their kid’s mouth up. Kids are going to be hyper. They are going to want to fidget. They are going to want to touch stuff, and ask silly annoying questions at times when your head feels like it’s going to explode. Tossing them the ipad only forces them to bond with the ipad, instead of their parents or their surroundings.

Everyone knows about moody teenagers and their key grip on their devices. The 13 year old with the “I know it all” attitude. However, we will soon have moody 5 year olds vice gripping their devices. Kids become exposed earlier and earlier in age to smart devices due to the parent’s need to work harder and longer in an ever increasing speed driven environment.

As technology rapidly advances people will become more connected by wires and social media handles than with their platonic, romantic feelings, and their souls.