Challenging Change:
Parenting Gen Z & Gen Alpha in a Shifting World:
Change doesn’t just happen with time, it happens with people. Every new generation brings new thoughts, new habits, and a new way of looking at life. As parents, we often wonder:
Should we raise our children the same way our parents raised us? Or is it time to rethink parenting for a new world?
The New Landscape of Parenting
Today’s Gen Z and Gen Alpha are growing up in a world we couldn’t have imagined when we were young. The internet is not a luxury, it’s their playground. Social media trends can go global in hours, from a viral dance step in Bangladesh to the latest craze sweeping across continents.
At the same time, the professional world is also shifting. Big corporations can let go of tens of thousands of employees overnight, reminding us that stability isn’t guaranteed anymore. This uncertain environment will shape how our children view careers, success, and security.
Challenges we face…
• Information Overload: Children today don’t wait for answers; they Google them.
• Shifting Values: What mattered to us as teenagers might not matter to them at all.
• Global Influence: Their heroes and trends may come from halfway across the world.
• Economic Uncertainty: Jobs and industries change faster than ever before.
Accepting or Resisting Change?
The hardest question for parents is not “What’s the right way to raise children?” but “Am I willing to adapt?” Parenting isn’t about holding on to the past; it’s about preparing our kids for their future.
Yes, values like respect, kindness, and honesty are timeless. But the way we teach and model them may need to evolve. Our children are not growing up in the same world we did; they are navigating a far more complex, connected, and competitive environment.
Conversation Worth Having
When I spoke with parents about this topic, it was lively, eye-opening, and far too short. We laughed, we debated, and we realized that none of us have all the answers, but all of us have the same goal: to raise children who can thrive in the world they inherit.
The change is here. The question is, will we accept it and grow with it… or resist and get left behind?
Sreenevas KM Iyengar
Global Education Director
