Dear Gen Alpha,

What happened to the magic of your childhood?

I ask this as a sixteen year old who misses hearing laughter at the park and seeing dirty boots in the rain — who notices the bright glow that creates quiet at family dinners.

My little fingers used to pluck and pull at flower beds, shoveling dirt with plastic spoons and mixing concoctions in rusted buckets. The warmth of long summer days, running through the hose, hide-and-seek with cousins, – a dining table, always a mess of pom poms, scraps of construction paper, glitter, uncapped markers, and sticky spots of glue. I pranced back and forth in my princess heels and frilly dresses, leapt under forts of chairs and sheets. My childhood was a flurry of imagination and make believe. It was a tornado of exploration and discovery– But what is your childhood like today? 

I see the brightly lit screens and headphones that engulf you day after day. At the park, at playdates, at grocery stores, and at restaurants. Hours upon hours of technology and consumption, a myriad of entrancing media. Gone are the days of muddy hands and crafts, replaced by sore thumbs. No more boardgames, or jump ropes, or easy bake ovens, or hopscotch. In their place, video games and social media, quicksand that pulls you in deeper. Shorter attention spans, lack of face-to-face interaction, and the rise of influencers. The pressure to look like this and wear that. Harsh chemicals and anti-aging products on your delicate skin. 

As the first generation to grow in a completely digital age, this is the only world you know. Studies show that nearly two-thirds of your fellow Gen Alphas between the ages of 8-10 spend four hours a day on social media. In the period of life so critical to your development, this increase of screen time has posed new challenges. In 2023 it was found that 16% of children ages 3-5 experienced emotional or behavioral distress, with higher suicide rates, a 13% increase in only five years.

These devices have become the greatest thieves you will ever encounter. They have robbed you of so much time and opportunity to venture. They have and will continue to steal the extraordinary joys of your youth, forcing you to grow up too fast. They have taken away your chance to interact with the world and unleash creativity, kept you from experiencing the magic of childhood that allows you to fully thrive. 

You need that magic to blossom and endure. The memories of your childhood will prepare you for all ahead and equip you with the hope to overcome challenges. Childhood serves as the reminder that rainbows will always come after a storm. 

So I beg of you to rediscover that sense of whimsical enchantment. Blow bubbles outside, roll on the grass, play pretend. Be messy and wild. Learn to see the world beyond the bounds of a screen and allow yourself to take it all in. 

Sincerely, 

Chloe