iKids

What Does iKids Mean?

Internet-Connected Children (iKids)

Image for iKids

The term "iKids" describes the generations that have known only a world with the internet.

Here is a list of the last 8 generations. The iKids are marked with an asterisk (*).

• The Lost Generation (1883-1901)
• The Greatest Generation (1901-1927)
• The Silent Generation (1928-1946)
• Baby Boomers (1946-1964)
• Generation X (1965-1980)
• Generation Y (aka "Millennials") (1981-1996)*
• Generation Z (1997-2009)*
• Generation A (2010-present)*

Generation Y, especially those born in the early 80s, could contest their classification as iKids because the internet did not gain widespread popularity until the early 90s, when personal computers first became available and affordable. Nevertheless, the oldest Gen Y members were only 11 or 12 then, which is why Gen Y is considered a generation that has only ever known an internet-connected world.

The generations before the iGenerations (most notably Gen X) fire a lot of criticism at the later generations, particularly the Millennials (their offspring). Common observations include:

• iKids are constantly on their phones.
• iKids are pasty-skinned weeds who never play outdoors.
• iKids are socially inept and cannot talk face-to-face.
• iKids are mentally fragile, disproportionally suffering with mental-health issues.
• iKids are physically weaker and less coordinated than their parents.
• iKids are disproportionally gay, bi, trans, or non-binary.
• iKids have an unearned sense of privilege.
• iKids have a poor work ethic.
• iKids have a poor retention span.
• iKids seek a work-life balance disproportionally weighted towards "life."
• iKids expect to go to university, despite being academically average.
• iKids are easily offended.
• iKids have no mental capacity, having had Google at hand since birth.
• iKids at university are lazy and undertake meaningless degrees.
• iKids cannot write for toffee.

If you're an iKid reading the list above, don't be offended, and don't take any of it to heart. The previous generations have always bad-mouthed the newer generations. It has been going on for thousands of years. The following observation about the "youth of today" is 2,800 years old.

• "I see no hope for the future of our people if they are dependent on frivolous youth of today, for certainly all youth are reckless beyond words... When I was young, we were taught to be discreet and respectful of elders, but the present youth are exceedingly wise [disrespectful] and impatient of restraint". (Hesiod, 8th century BC)

However, there might be some truth to some of the observations about iKids, with dozens of studies, e.g., "Screen Time and the Brain" (Harvard, 2019), drawing links between excessive screen time and physical and mental health. So, if you constantly look to your smartphone for social interaction and entertainment, you might want to consider a key point from the above study, which describes screen time as "impoverished" brain stimulation compared to reality. So, if you're a squared-eyed iKid, in all likelihood, your phone is undermining your development.

No, don't Google it. Go climb a mountain.

"Useless Millennials"

Gen X (1965-1980) tend to give "iKids" a hard time for being fragile.

Summary of Key Points

We have summarized the key points in the table below:

iKids
Definition:	Internet-Connected Children
Type:	Word
Guessability:	2: Quite easy to guess
Typical Users:	Adults

An Academic Look at IKIDS

• A new meaning for an existing word (e.g., "cloud," "mood," "sick."
• A completely new word (e.g., "fomo," "selfie," "emoji)."
• A new combination of existing words, or words with prefixes or suffixes (e.g., "cloutrage," "digital detox," "situationship," "oversharing."

Neologisms are often the result of changes in technology, culture, or social norms, and they can be found in fields such as science, technology, politics, and popular culture. Some neologisms become widely used and enter mainstream vocabulary, while others remain obscure or limited to specific communities or contexts.

Example of IKIDS Used in a Text

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