Week Junior survey finds Generation Alpha wants adults to listen more

Generation Alpha — kids born since 2010 — are paying close attention to current events, and want to share their thoughts with the adults in their lives, according to a new Junior Voices survey from The Week Junior and YouGov.

Of the kids surveyed, 83 percent think it's important to learn about what's going on in the world, and 79 percent say they discuss current events with friends and family at least once a week, with 27 percent chatting about the news daily. Close to half — 48 percent — said talking about current events makes them concerned about the future, while 47 percent say it makes them curious about specific topics in the news and 74 percent said they aren't afraid to share their opinion if they disagree with someone.

A vast majority of the respondents, 82 percent, said they wish adults would listen more to kids. When asked the messages they want to get across, the top responses were: "Be kind to everyone," "Don't leave environmental problems to us," "Be open to other people's ideas," and "Listen to kids because we have cool ideas."

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The survey's results are "very powerful," Andrea Barbalich, editor-in-chief of The Week Junior, said. "We know children have strong opinions, and that's why it's so important for us to report on what they think. Overwhelmingly, this generation wants their voices to be heard and they want adults to listen. They're concerned about their world and, more than that, they believe their actions can make a difference."

YouGov surveyed 733 children between the ages of 8 and 14, after contacting their parents online. The surveys were conducted Sept. 23 through Oct. 11. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all U.S. children ages 8 to 14.