Parenting Concerns for Children of Generation Beta: A Cross-Sectional Study

Generation Beta is the emerging generation born between 2025 and 2039, of older Millennials and early Generation Z. With the advancement of AI and technology, the latest generation is experiencing excessive screen time and limited parent-child bonding, which might pose serious implications on child development and attachment outcomes. This study explores the perception of parenting pertinent to the upbringing and development of Generation Beta. A quantitative cross-sectional survey was conducted using a tailor-made structured questionnaire, with support from generative AI and grey literature, to explore parents' perceptions by recruiting 157 individuals using convenience sampling. The data were analysed using descriptive-inferential statistics in SPSS to examine parental insights on rising concerns in Pakistan. Descriptive statistics were calculated, including frequencies (N) and percentages, along with inferential statistics where p-values were obtained using the Chi-Square test. The results revealed that technology will bring advancement and opportunities for Generation Beta; on the other hand, parents were concerned with more screen time, minimal parent-child bonding, limited outdoor play, parenting strategies in the future upbringing, and challenges faced by the children. Therefore, the study contributes to rising parents' concerns for Generation Beta and the requirement of parental education programs and strategies for their children. It also offers a foundation for future researchers to work towards it.