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Yahoo
4 days ago
- Lifestyle
- Yahoo
Gen Alpha Is Different in So Many Ways, Including Their ‘Awkward Phase'—Here's Why
Fact checked by Sarah Scott If you've scrolled through recent end-of-school-year photos or passed a group of sephora tweens at the mall, you might notice something different about today's kids. Generation Alpha seems to be more polished, stylish, and mature than many of us were at their age. This is leading many parents to wonder if Generation Alpha is bypassing the "awkward phase.' TikTokers have been sharing their thoughts on this observation, with one saying Gen Alpha immediately gets to their 'glow-up stage' and another saying they are growing up way too fast. Is Generation Alpha really skipping the 'awkward phase?' The answer is more complicated than yes or no. While many tweens may look different on the outside, experts say the 'awkward phase' has not disappeared. It is simply taking new forms. The 'awkward phase' usually refers to the tween years, roughly ages 9 to 12, when kids physically, socially, and emotionally begin shifting into adolescence. It's a time of experimentation, often shown in bold fashion choices, offbeat interests, and social discomfort. In past decades, this stage was easy to spot: clashing colors, poor makeup attempts, and wardrobes inspired by favorite TV stars. But those outward signs only told part of the story. The 'awkward phase' has never been just about appearance. It's about identity-building, boundary-testing, and emotional growth. That hasn't changed for Generation Alpha. 'I don't think the 'awkward phase' has disappeared—it's just evolved,' explains Jessica Hill, founder of The Parent Collective, a platform supporting expectant and new parents."The awkwardness hasn't gone away; it's just being masked or reframed to fit into a highly-curated digital culture."Today's tweens are growing up in a world shaped less by cable TV and more by short-form videos, Instagram aesthetics, and influencer culture. Instead of idolizing sitcom trendsetters, many emulate lifestyle creators who promote capsule wardrobes, skincare routines, and age-appropriate yet refined looks. It may seem like today's children dress like young adults, but they are simply responding to their environment, just like every generation before them. Unsurprisingly, social media is playing a massive role. Most platforms require users to be at least 13, but research shows that 38% of kids 8 to 12 years old use social media, according to Common Sense Media. 'What kids see online—the styles, the humor, the ways of presenting yourself—bleeds into real life,' says Hill. 'The awkwardness hasn't gone away; it's just being masked or reframed to fit into a highly-curated digital culture.' That's true even for tweens who aren't actively posting or scrolling on social media; they are still absorbing norms through peers. But while signs of awkwardness may look different, the core experiences of middle childhood remain. Kids today are still figuring out who they are, navigating hormones, trying to fit in with peers, and managing friendships and emotions. Their inner worlds are just as complex as before. The difference is in how they express it. Rather than layering rainbow socks over leggings, a tween might pour creativity into editing videos or organizing Pinterest boards. As Hill puts it, 'Social media has dramatically shifted how kids form and express identity—and it's complicated.' It's natural for parents to feel uneasy as childhood seems to shift rapidly. The 'mini adult' look can create the impression that kids are maturing too fast or like innocence is fading. There's also concern that kids are becoming self-conscious earlier, pressured to present a polished image both on and offline. Social media doesn't just amplify comparison—it can rewire how kids relate to themselves and others. 'Modern-day tweens appear to be 'growing up faster,' as they are privy to more information than ever before and spend more time immersed in goal-oriented activities to hone singular areas of expertise at increasingly early ages,' says Debbie Raphael, MD, a double board-certified parent and child psychiatrist. This type of development and over-reliance on digital activities may come at a cost. 'Fast tracking the journey of middle childhood may lead tweens to forgo opportunities for mastering developmental tasks that, although difficult, are crucial to social functioning and future healthy relationships,' says Dr. Raphael. Instead of mourning the changes, focus on what tweens need most: space to grow, freedom to be imperfect, and reassurance that it's OK to not have all the answers. Celebrate a changing awkwardness. Tweens today still face complex emotions and uncertain friendships. Be present, laugh, and let them embrace their awkward moments. Make sure to check in with your tween and get to know their world by asking open-ended questions. Encourage creative outlets. Offer kids safe spaces for expression, such as art classes, digital storytelling, journaling, or DIY projects. Let them decorate their rooms or explore hobbies to support identity development. Use screens to bond. Try watching their favorite shows, following them on Instagram, or talking openly about what they're seeing online. 'Prioritizing relational health is paramount,' says Dr. Raphael. 'This means tending to our relationship with our tweens even as they retreat with their devices.' Understand new ways of connecting. Just because tweens spend more time online doesn't mean their friendships lack depth. 'My boys, for example, have vibrant social lives that often play out online,' Hill shares. 'They'll gather on Discord or game together for hours, laughing and talking as they would in person. That felt foreign to me at first but that doesn't make their experiences any less meaningful.' Model realness. Hill emphasizes the value of showing kids it's OK to be imperfect. 'The more we normalize realness at home, the less power the curated world of social media holds over them,' says Hill. Avoid adult assumptions. Dressing maturely doesn't mean a tween wants to grow up faster. Often, they mimic trends without understanding adult meanings. Approach with curiosity, not alarm. Remember, many kids of Generation Alpha may appear more composed, but they are still learning, fumbling, and forming who they are. Read the original article on Parents
Time Magazine
4 days ago
- Business
- Time Magazine
At TIME100 Talk, Executives Discuss the Power of Digital Inclusivity and Positivity
For most people across the globe, social media is a daily part of life. Billions of people interact with brands, stories, influencers, and other content across various platforms everyday. With the impact that this content carries for consumers, discussing positivity, inclusivity, and the role that brands play is essential. At the Cannes Lions International Festival, TIME CEO Jessica Sibley hosted a roundtable talk with industry leaders to discuss what they are up to in a rapidly changing online environment. The discussions began when CEO Bill Ready of Pinterest—which presented the event—brought up the challenges young people face today, and the importance of cultivating a healthy online platform. He recalls one decision he made to limit access to harmful content for those under 16. 'As a parent, I truly believed I didn't want young people engaging with strangers online,' he said. Ready said that younger users have taken notice of Pinterest's overall approach as a platform where you can 'get away from the toxicity elsewhere.' Others business leaders echoed similar concerns. Jim Steyer, founder and CEO of Common Sense Media, which reviews the safety of social media platforms, said that his biggest worry is that 'we have waited a long time to deal with' the issue and that it's important to young people everywhere. 'The same concerns we have in the U.S. are global,' he adds. Brieane Olson, CEO of retail company PacSun, says that businesses need to learn about the needs and wants of Gen Z users. 'What has surprised me the most is how misunderstood Gen Z has become through the digital lens,' she said. 'As adults in the room,' added Sadé Mohammed, the Chief Impact and Marketing Officer at TIME, 'there's a feeling of not being included in real life. I think about what we can do to facilitate that community in person instead.' Some executives also highlighted the needs of specific younger audiences. Laurie Lam, Chief Brand Officer at e.l.f. Beauty, a cosmetics firm in California, said more companies need to focus on making young women feel seen and heard. 'As a mom to two girls, our ethos is so rooted in lifting [up] others,' she said. For her part, Ndidi Oteh, incoming CEO of Accenture Song, a creative agency, raised the question of brand accountability. 'It's a reoccurring theme, how do you hold your influencers accountable, how do you make sure that you act with responsibility … to make sure that we're actually moving towards a more positive world.' Industry leaders at the roundtable in Cannes also shed light on their own personal challenges. Erin Andrews, a sports broadcaster and co-founder of women's apparel company WEAR, revealed her experiences in the spotlight. Over time, she said, she found herself more open about her private life, including her treatment for cervical cancer. "It was really difficult," she said. Andrews continues to stay motivated about getting female fans to attend games. 'It brings tears to my eyes when dad's come up to me and say 'I want my daughter to do what you do',' she said. Other attendees of the rountable included Aki Mandhar, CEO of Chelsea Women FC; Lisa McKnight, Chief Brand Officer and Executive Vice President at Mattel; Jimmy Smith, CEO & Chief Creative Officer at Amusement Park Entertainment; Casper Lee, Chief Vision Officer at Creator Ventures; Alexis Ohanian, Founder of Seven Seven Six and Athlos; Rachel Delphin, Chief Marketing Officer of Twitch; Carla Hassan, Chief Marketing Officer at JP Morgan Chase; Andréa Mallard, Global Chief Marketing Officer at Pinterest; and Renata Ferraiolo, CEO of SC Johnson Lifestyle Brands and Blakely Thornton, Culture Critic and Podcast Host.
Miami Herald
04-06-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Trump budget bill would ban AI regulation. What Americans think of that in poll
A majority of Americans are against banning states from regulating artificial intelligence — a provision included in the latest congressional spending bill, according to new polling. A May 29 Common Sense Media/Echelon Insights survey found widespread concern about forcing states to sit on the sidelines as AI advances at a rapid clip, becoming increasingly embedded in everyday life. The poll comes after the GOP-controlled House passed the 'One Big Beautiful Bill,' as dubbed by President Donald Trump, which would bar states and localities from restricting AI development for a decade. 'No State or political subdivision thereof may enforce, during the 10-year period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act, any law or regulation limiting, restricting, or otherwise regulating artificial intelligence models, artificial intelligence systems, or automated decision systems entered into interstate commerce,' the bill states. The legislation is now being considered in the Republican-controlled Senate, which is aiming to deliver it to Trump's desk by early July, as reported by CBS News. Here is a breakdown of the results from the poll: Opposition to AI regulation ban The poll — which sampled 1,022 voters May 20-22 — found that 59% of respondents somewhat or strongly oppose the provision banning AI regulation. Meanwhile, just 25% somewhat or strongly support it. Among Republicans, 50% said they are against the measure, while 31% said they support it. Further, a majority of overall respondents, 52%, said the moratorium makes them less likely to support the GOP-backed spending bill. And just 15% said it makes them more inclined to support the legislation. Voters also signaled that they have more faith in state governments to manage the development of AI. Fifty-three percent said they have more trust in state and local leaders to 'regulate AI appropriately' than lawmakers in Washington, D.C. Meanwhile, 15% said they place more trust in federal lawmakers. The survey — which has a margin of error of 3.4 percentage points — also asked respondents to react to a series of statements, with the results further indicating there is far-reaching concern about AI regulation. For example, 77% of respondents agreed with the statement 'States should have the right to make laws about technology, and Congress should not take that right away from them.' Just 13% disagreed. An even larger share, 81%, agreed with the statement 'Advances in AI are exciting but also bring risks, and in such fast-moving times, we shouldn't force states to sit on the sidelines for a full decade.' Meanwhile, 11% disagreed with this. The same 81% share also agreed with the statement 'Congress should not ban states from enacting or enforcing their own laws when it comes to protecting kids' safety and privacy online.' Twelve percent disagreed. This comes as several states have put forward laws protecting the privacy of minor's online that explicitly relate to AI. For example, California's Leading Ethical Development of AI (LEAD) Act, introduced in February, would require parents to consent before AI developers use a child's information to train AI models. 'The numbers are clear,' Kristen Soltis Anderson, the co-founder of Echelon Insights, said in a news release. 'Voters are concerned about the potential dangers AI-generated content can pose to kids and teens, and say they don't want the federal government to tell states what they can and can't do about the issue.' James Steyer, the CEO of Common Sense Media, added that the AI provisions in the budget leave Americans 'to fend for themselves against the most powerful technology of our time.' AI experts project that the technology will develop at an exceptionally fast pace, with significant advancements expected in the near term. For example, the 2025 Stanford AI Index Report highlights that AI capabilities — generative AI, in particular — have already accelerated dramatically, outstripping some previous forecasts.
Metro
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
BBC quietly adds Australian drama that left fans 'crying their eyes out'
UK viewers can now watch a 'masterpiece' drama based on a book written by the same author of Big Little Lies. Based on the 2005 novel of the same name by Liane Moriarty, the author of Big Little Lies and Nine Perfect Strangers, The Last Anniversary is a comedy-drama 'wrapped in a gripping mystery about family, motherhood and the women who define the generations that come after them'. The six-part series stars Teresa Palmer (The Fall Guy), Miranda Richardson (Good Omens) and Danielle Macdonald (The Tourist). Set on the fictional Scribbly Gum Island, it's been teased the setting is a 'place of many secrets'. After a young couple disappeared there decades earlier, true crime tourists flock to the island, however for three generations of women that call Scribbly Gum home, hold far more. When Sophie Honeywell (Teresa) inherits a house on the island, left to her by her ex-boyfriend's great-aunt Connie, it's the fresh start she's craving, despite the unwelcome reception she receives on arrival. Single and approaching 40, Sophie is intrigued by something else Connie left her – a promise that she might finally find the man of her dreams… To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video When the series was first released in Australia and the United States in March, one fan said it 'left them in tears'. In its review, The Guardian wrote: 'The tone of this gracefully crafted adaptation of Liane Moriarty's bestselling novel is tender and mysterious, imbued with a soft literary quality.' 'The mystery is mostly backdrop to a patient, lovely drama that delves into the complexities of family, motherhood, and relationships,' Common Sense Media shared. 'Sure, it's heavy on the symbolism and the drama isn't exactly nuanced or subtle, but fans of Moriarty's brand of storytelling should definitely find themselves well engrossed by the time the first hour is up,' The Post NZ added. More Trending This week the show was finally added to BBC iPlayer, with all episodes now available to watch. The BBC's head of programme acquisition Sue Deeks said the series was 'an entertaining drama full of vivid characters, comedy and romance, with a compelling mystery at its heart'. The Last Anniversary was co-produced by Nicole Kidman and also stars Helen Thomson (Colin from Accounts), Susan Prior (Animal Kingdom), Claude Scott-Mitchell (The Dry), Charlie Garber (Barons), Uli Latukefu (Young Rock) and Jeremy Lindsay Taylor (Force of Nature: The Dry 2). View More » The Last Anniversary is streaming on BBC iPlayer. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: All EastEnders cast returns, exits and new arrivals coming up in 2025 MORE: Why is Gary Lineker leaving Match of the Day and who is replacing him? MORE: Walking With Dinosaurs viewers devastated as major change has 'ruined' beloved show
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Teens Are Exploring Relationships & Sexting With AI Chatbots — & Restrictions Aren't Working
In news that sounds like science fiction, teens are exploring relationships with artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots — and circumventing any restrictions designed to stop them. Teens are using their digital 'boyfriends' and 'girlfriends' for emotional connection and sexting, and it's becoming a big problem. According to The Washington Post, teens are having conversations that are romantic, sexually graphic and violent, and more on 'ai companion' tools like Replika, Talkie, Talk AI, SpicyChat, and PolyBuzz. General generative AI tools like ChatGPT and Meta AI have also launched companion-chat tools. More from SheKnows Nicole Kidman Reveals She Discusses 'The Most Intimate Things' With Her Teenage Daughters: 'I Get To Be Their Guide' Damian Redman of Saratoga Springs, New York, found PolyBuzz on his 8th grader's phone, and found that his son was having flirty conversations with AI female anime characters. 'I don't want to put yesterday's rules on today's kids. I want to wait and figure out what's going on,' he told the outlet. 'We're seeing teens experiment with different types of relationships — being someone's wife, being someone's father, being someone's kid. There's game and anime-related content that people are working though. There's advice,' Robbie Torney, senior director of AI programs at family advocacy group Common Sense Media, said in the article. 'The sex is part of it but it's not the only part of it.' The outlet reported 10 different AI companions, citing workarounds, paid options, and prompts that teens can use to get past content restriction filters. That's scary stuff! Even if you are on top of it, it's hard to completely protect them from having harmful and/or explicit interactions. One concerned parent recently took to Reddit, where they shared that they blocked from their 14-year-old's phone, and later found they were on 'I hate to think my child's first romantic (and sexual) interactions are with bots,' they wrote on the Parenting subreddit. 'It's just creepy. Am I the only parent having this problem? Thoughts?' Some parents suggested focusing on more of a communication approach with your child instead of trying to block everything. 'We have 'had a conversation' and 'communicated' with our teenage son for YEARS,' one person wrote. 'We've used multiple parental control apps. All for naught. He still finds ways to access what he wants. We're decently tech-savvy, but so is he. And the reality is there's no good way to completely prevent a singularly-minded hormonal teenager from achieving his/her goal.' Someone else wrote, 'There are more than dozens of these sites out there. Craving connection is a very human thing, which is only amplified in teenage years. Social media can do this which is why getting likes or being popular on social media is so desirable to teens, but this is an entire other drug. Forming 'personal' one on one relationships with AI chatbots is so dangerous. Keep them away from this drug at any cost.' Experts back up this opinion. In April, Common Sense Media launched an AI Risk Assessment Team to assess AI platforms to report on the likelihood of causing harm. Social AI companions like Nomi, and Replika were all ranked unacceptable for teen users, as teens were using these platforms to bond emotionally and engage in sexual conversations. According to Common Sense Media, this research found that the chatbots could generate 'harmful responses including sexual misconduct, stereotypes, and dangerous 'advice' that, if followed, could have life-threatening or deadly real-world impact for teens.' The experts at the organization recommend no social AI companions should be allowed for anyone under the age of 18. They also recommend further research and regulations on AI companions due to the emotional and psychological impacts they can cause teens, whose brains are still developing. For now, the best we can do is continue to monitor our teens' phones, keep having conversations about these issues, and advocate for of SheKnows Celebrity Moms Who Were Honest About Miscarriage & Pregnancy Loss — Because It Matters Every Single Time Shemar Moore Proved He's the Proudest First-Time Girl Dad The Best Places to Buy Furniture for Teens Online
