Navigating Digital Parenting: Strategies for Raising Generation Alpha in a Hyperconnected World

Description

Page: 169-175

Arju Saini, Poonam Malik, Renu, and Sangeeta (Department of Human Development and Family Studies, I.C College of Community Sciences, Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, Haryana)

The onset of advanced technology has gradually shifted the way children participate in the activities of growing up, especially Generation Alpha which traces those children born between 2010-2025. They are growing in a time when there is constant use of smart devices, such as smartphones, social media and other digital tools in this scenario. This generation has been described as living in a hyperconnected world and raises new challenges for parents trying to educate their children, coping with the changes where the lines between the physical and digital realms are continuously being erased. As a result, parents now have it harder than ever to how they want their children to grow and interact with the digital world and the real world. This review paper delves into digital parenting tools and techniques and highlights the deliberate actions of parents such as setting boundaries and encouraging communication. Key approaches include the enhancement of media literacy, helping children reason and critically think about what they see online, and practicing responsible global citizenship. In addition, it emphasizes the role of parental modelling, where parents are active users rather than only limiting online activity and encourage other offline activities such as spending time with family and going out to play. The paper also illustrates the place of technology in and out of the classroom, optimistically pointing out how it can be useful but warning of the dangers of overindulging such as an addiction to screens and a decline in face-to-face social interaction skills. In the end, bringing up Generation Alpha implies being an active, hands-on digital parent – one who understands the potential of technology while bearing in mind the importance of emotional intelligence, social skills and resilience. Parents can enable this generation of children to grow into not just technology-loving adults but also remember the significance of empathy, responsibility and self-awareness in the future.