8 Gen Alpha words every Millennial and Gen Z parent must learn

All around the world, children are known for their innocence, creativity and the little things they find joy in. These tiny tots are not only our future, but they also provide a rare window into our past that we have unwittingly left behind in the grind of adulthood. Interestingly though, the phenomenon holds true for every generation. Be it the ‘Silent Generation’, ‘Baby Boomers’ or ‘Generation X’, somehow parents always seem to be deciphering the ways and means of their kids, appearing befuddled and anxious all at once. Speaking of that, ‘Generation Alpha’, or simply ‘Gen Alpha’, has taken the challenge on a whole new level. More than coping with their energy level and emotional quotient, today’s parents seem to be scrambling trying to decode their children’s language.

Whether we like it or not, ‘Gen Alpha’ has considerably transformed spoken English, making it more akin to the internet culture and gaming, but also difficult to understand for many. So much so that globally trusted dictionaries like Cambridge, Merriam-Webster and Collins have also recognised and added some of these terms. Needless to say, somewhere between your ‘YOLO’ and their ‘No cap’, the generational communication gap has turned into a full-blown comedy show.

So, for every millennial and gen z parent who says: “I understood the sentence, except for every word in it,” here’s a quick guide to decode the somewhat strange yet hilarious world of ‘Gen Alpha’ slang.

As parents who grew up with floppy disks and landline phones, let’s also acknowledge that while the kids may not have seen or known these things, they certainly know how to make us laugh, roll our eyes and look up their vocabulary on Google. Parenting ‘Gen Alpha’ isn’t just about keeping up. It’s also about decoding the lingo with dignity and laughing through the confusion. After all, their language may have changed, but their hearts are still the same. So next time your child says: “That’s so mid, but your fit is fire”, don’t ask for clarification. Instead, smile and respond confidently, “You bet!”. You’ll have successfully unlocked level 1 of parenting in the ‘Gen Alpha’ era. ‘No cap’.