In recent years, parents and teachers alike have grown increasingly concerned about how screen time is affecting Generation Alpha, the group of children born in the early 2010s.
With tablets and phones becoming an essential and everyday part of life, school and communication, many Gen Alpha kids are spending more hours on screens than the generations before them. It is starting to have noticeable effects on attention spans and sleep.
Many teachers take their complaints to TikTok or YouTube, expressing concern that students struggle to stay focused and prefer talking on the phone or iPad over face-to-face communication.
Another growing concern is what some call “AI brain rot.” This phenomenon exists when kids rely heavily on AI-generated videos for entertainment. A constant flow of quick, curated content can make real life feel boring or slow by comparison.
Some parents are also noticing more irritability from their children, sometimes even having fights to pull them away from their screens.
Although technology will not be going away anytime soon, it is widely recommended to set limits to help children build healthy habits. As both screens and AI content continue to flourish, the long-term effects on Gen Alpha remain a major concern.