(NewsNation) — Gen Alpha is having trouble making friends, with many parents reporting kids born after 2010 have a hard time making meaningful connections. Among parents, 19% say their child has either no friends or not enough friends, and 90% say their child wants more friends but has roadblocks that keep that from happening.
Among the roadblocks cited are things like being too shy, not having enough free time or a place to meet, already established friend groups or barriers like religion and politics, with parents preferring their kids be friends with others who have similar belief systems.
Psychologist Lisa Strohman told NewsNation that kids growing up in a digital world aren’t learning the skill sets they need to make friends, and parents jumping in to do the work for them also contributes to a lack of social skills.
“If we don’t change things, we’re going to continue to isolate,” she said.
Strohman advises parents to create examples for their kids by establishing strong social networks of their own and to advise children on how to handle challenges without taking over.
“Your job is to let them have those hard moments and to be there for support, but certainly don’t take over the hard work for them,” Strohman said.
In our connected world, technology is very present, but Strohman said it doesn’t have to be a problem if kids and parents strive for balance.
“Social interactions can be really amazing online, but they can also be really amazing in real life,” she said. “And we need both of them.”