Why Is the New Generation of Children Different?
Not long ago, Elizaveta Alexandrovna Khamraeva came to Ottawa for a teachers’ conference. She is a Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences and the author of numerous textbooks for children who use two or more languages in their everyday communication. She shared some very interesting observations about how dramatically the entire generation of children who grew up in the Internet era has changed.
What she told us about this new generation of children makes us stop and think — and look at the whole process of communicating with and raising our children and grandchildren in a new way. Children today are simply not the same as we were when we were young. They are neither better nor worse. They are simply different.
Sometimes this difference can be seen in small things. We could spend hours reading one book or simply wandering around the neighbourhood, while they easily switch between a dozen tasks: messaging, videos, music and homework. We kept knowledge “in our heads”; they keep it “within reach.” We trusted our parents, teachers, coaches and older people — while they will first check online, compare opinions, find a video explaining “how it really is,” and only then draw their own conclusions.
How did we get here?
The world has become digital: notifications, endless feeds, short videos, advertising and algorithms that tailor content to individual interests. These are not simply forms of entertainment — they are an environment, and our environment shapes and trains the brain.
If we grew up in a culture of long texts and sequential storytelling, today’s children are growing up in a culture of rapidly changing fragments, short messages and constant novelty.
What does research tell us?
Science tells us that the problem is not that children have somehow been “spoiled.” The real issue is that attention has become one of the scarcest resources.
When stimuli change every few seconds, the brain becomes accustomed to a short cycle: “see — react — switch.” Studies of digital multitasking show a connection between frequent task-switching, increased distractibility and greater difficulty maintaining focus on one activity.
At the same time, it is important to remember that not all screen use has the same effect. Much depends on the type of content, sleep patterns, overall workload and family rules.
How will this affect their future lives?
The “digital generation” has many strengths: the ability to navigate information quickly, strong visual literacy, the capacity to learn through videos and hands-on experience, and flexibility.
In a world where professions and skills can change every few years, these abilities are a powerful resource.
But there are also risks: difficulty sustaining concentration for long periods, fatigue from a constant flow of information, and dependence on external support — phones, prompts and algorithms.
Their future will require both speed and depth. And it may be precisely the ability to think deeply that becomes one of the greatest competitive advantages of the future.
This is not the end of education — it is a change in the adult’s role
Adults are no longer the only — or even the main — “gateway to knowledge.”
The role of parents and teachers is shifting from “I know, you listen” to “I will help you find your way.”
Children need us not as an “encyclopedia,” but as a guide to meaning: someone who helps develop critical thinking, ethics, source verification, understanding of context, the ability to cope with difficult emotions and the confidence to make decisions.
What should we do? How should we communicate with them?
- Speak briefly, but connect ideas into a system.
Give information in manageable pieces, but connect those pieces with clear bridges: “First we do step one, then step two.” - Make agreements instead of fighting.
Instead of saying, “Put your phone away,” ask, “How can we make sure you get enough sleep?” - Create rules about the environment rather than morality.
Turning off notifications, using focus mode and keeping the phone away from the bed often work better than lectures. - Teach them to verify information rather than simply believe it.
Ask: “Who is the source? Is this a fact or an opinion? What evidence supports it?” - Create ‘islands of sustained attention.’
Ten to fifteen minutes of reading, working on a project or having a calm conversation every day can become a kind of exercise for training attention.
Our children are different. And that is not a tragedy. It is a challenge.
If we stop comparing them with ourselves and begin trying to understand the environment in which they are growing up, we will have a chance to preserve what matters most: our connection with them.
And we will be able to raise not simply obedient children, but independent people — people who will be able to live confidently and with dignity in the new world of the future.
Anastasia Chupina
(Participant in the Local Journalism Initiative program)