Are We Overprotecting Gen Alpha as Well? An Examination of the New "Interest Badges"
Girl Guides used to be awarded badges for tying knots, campfire cooking, or showing a certain level of Morse code proficiency.
But now they're being awarded badges for simply showing an interest in activities.... Girlguiding's new introduction of 72 interest badges represents a shift to hobbies and thinking, rather than old-fashioned vocational skills.
Today's Girl Guides can earn badges like "Booktivist," "Calm Spaces," or "Interior Designer."
Softer Paths: from Skills to Interests
These new Girlguiding badges, were co-created with over 20,000 girls, parents, and volunteers, and the organisation says they are "empowering," created to build confidence and address issues of the modern day such as online harm and misogyny
All of this sounds forward-thinking, but the rigor of the old system— learning Morse, reading maps required girls to actually come up to a measurable standard, these new ones don't.
This is not just about Girlguiding. Across modern childhood, there is a more common tendency to emphasize emotional health and identity over resilience through challenge.
Gen Alpha: Rich in Technology, Insulated from Risk?
Generation Alpha (2010–2024) will enter the workforce in around 2026 —and they're the most technology-savvy, screen-intelligent generation so far. Experts say they'll focus on lifelong learning, the greater good, and purposeful work .
Teachers report that many of them find it difficult to focus, and feel discouraged easily if they can't achieve taks. Some seem to be dependent on technology - struggling to write manually or fill out assignments as needed - and some struggle with intrinsic motivation or perseverance
This is a gneration in which the postponing of risk-taking and reduced independence could have consequences on their ability to define and deal with issues independently, potentially even putting their mental health and wellbeing at risk.
I'm not sure these new badges do anything to help that trend....?
Balancing Nurture and Challenge
It's no doubt that today's children face genuine pressure —mental health problems, information saturation, and a fast-moving world. So relaxing expectations is understandable. But without challenges that allow for failure, frustration, and tangible skill-building, we might be teaching a generation unprepared for genuine challenges.
Gaining confidence is really important, but it is also crucial to learn how to tackle challenges.
Generation snowflake, where real time investment and focus on one thing (like learning something specific) is already an offence, is the perfect tribe for living under the Sharia!
https://www.reddit.com/r/generationology/comments/1n50uvb/are_we_overprotecting_gen_alpha_as_well_an/
This post has been shared on Reddit by @uwelang through the HivePosh initiative.
Today's kids get a lot of flack, but most probably are okay. Mine are in their 20s now, but they turned out fine. I did just read today that a lot of kids don't play outside. Mine didn't have all the online stuff at an early age and so didn't get too hooked then. That stuff is really compelling. I think things like Scouts and Guides can offer more experiences, but it needs to be challenging. There was all the fuss about not having winners and losers in school sports, but that is preparation for life. You won't win at everything, but you can still have value. It's about balance.
I had a feeling your kids probably would have turned out OK!
I'm all for outdoor play and creativity, keep it going as long as possible to balance the online stuff!
Were overprotecting them in the real world. But give them way too much freedom online.
Playing outside is very important for the development of kids.
I'm reading this book at the moment. Interesting topic.
Sounds like an interesting read, I'll have to check it out!
I agree. It's so important to let them bump their head, get bruises and cuts and also get into confrontations with other children. Yes, as parents we have to be there afterwards to tend to the wounds, both physical as emotional, but it's not our job to prevent them (well, the smaller wants at least, don't let them cut off limbs). Most kids these days have a huge lack of simple experiences, which then leads to insecurity, and then to anxiety and other mental illnesses that are totally preventable, if so wanted my parents and society. Just like the hyper-focus on productivity did with me and my peers. I guess each generation has their challenge that way.
That doesn't mean we have to knock our kids around like some of the Silents and maybe even Boomers found to be normal, either. There is a balance in everything, and it's our job to find that balance. In the end, every child gets their trauma during childhood, there will always be issues that they will have to talk through with a psychologist. But how long it will take them, that's the difference.
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They're the most tech savvy? Really? They can do more than just watch shorts and ask LLMs to solve their problems? I wouldn't call that tech savvy... Ask them to set up a LAN, or to download a game illegally, install the crack and play it like nothing happened. We'll see how tech savvy they really are. my experience with them is not that, just excessive screen exposure that then leads to the mentioned problems by the teachers.
I don't have a problem to have badges for emotional skills, too, especially when it comes to reading which I see as very important. But just for being interested? Not sure that's the way...
I like that they're supposedly looking out for the greater good and a healthy work environment, that is indeed important. My generation neglected especially the latter, in an era of hyper-productivity and that horrid "You can do it if you really want!" motivational poster mentality.
I know what you mean the other extreme is also toxic it's all about balance!