If you are old enough to remember dial-up, when you had to wait for the internet to connect and when the world wasn’t in our pockets, it’s a pretty stark contrast to the world shaping children today.

In the last two decades, technology has advanced at lightning speed, and it can be challenging to keep up for all of us – no matter what generation we are a part of. Especially since something we were once a little unsure of, perhaps skeptical of, is now an everyday experience at home, at work, at school and throughout society.

When we speak to parents and educators on the issue of generational differences, technology almost always comes up as the consistent answer as to how Generation Alpha are different from generations past.

Screens also come up as a source of tension. On the one hand, parents and educators want to ensure children are equipped with the necessary digital skills to thrive in an increasingly technological world. On the other hand, they also want them to develop resilience, interpersonal and life skills that come from activities and interactions away from screens.

In a recent survey we conducted, more than four in five Australians (83%) agree that for children aged eleven and under, the use of screens causes more harm than good.

So, what do we need to be aware of and how can we help raise Generation Alpha in the great screen age?

Joining Ashley Fell is the person who gave the name Generation Alpha to those born 2010-2024, Mark McCrindle.