Brains On! Science Podcast for Kids

Episode: "What is a generation and why do we have them?"

Release Date: February 17, 2026
Host: Molly Bloom
Kid Co-Host: Paige (Naperville, Illinois)
Expert Guests: Dr. Jean Twenge (Psychologist), Kim Parker (Pew Research Center), Corey Seemiller (Generational Researcher)

Overview

This episode dives into the idea of "generations" — what they mean, who gets to name them, and why they can be helpful (or sometimes misleading) for understanding ourselves and each other. Molly Bloom and Paige explore the major living generations, how generational labels get created, and discuss the usefulness and limits of grouping people by birth years. The episode is packed with fun moments, thoughtful questions from kids, and expert insight that brings clarity to the big idea of "generations."

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. What is a Generation?

• Definition:
  • Family Generations: Each step in your family tree — parents, grandparents, etc.
  • Social Generations: Large groups born in a similar 15-year period, like Millennials or Gen Z, who share cultural experiences.
• Paige’s curiosity: She wondered especially about why and how these large generational groups get made.
  • [02:30] Paige: "Yeah, I asked why are generations made for people?"

2. Meet the Major Generations (US Focused)

• Each group is described with defining characteristics and notable shared experiences.

Baby Boomers (1946–1964)

• Origin: Spike in birth rates post-WWII.
• Cultural impact: Hippies, civil rights, economic optimism.
• Jean Twenge: "So they really dominated the culture at every single time point." [05:00]

Generation X (1965–1979)

• Traits: Non-traditional, pop-culture unity, "slacker" stereotype.
• Known for watching the same cartoons, loving Star Wars, lots of childhood freedom.
• Jean Twenge: "They are known as the last generation to have a unified pop culture experience." [05:55]
• Molly: "You know the show Stranger Things? Those are Gen X kids." [06:15]

Millennials (1980–1994)

• Traits: Tech optimism, economic ups and downs, coming of age with the Internet.
• Molly: "We grew up without smartphones or the Internet, but those things became a big part of our lives when we were in late high school or college." [06:52]

Generation Z (1995–2009)

• Traits: Entire adolescence with smartphones; racially and ethnically diverse; value work-life balance; tech-savvy but aware of downsides.
• Jean Twenge: "Gen Z, born 1995-2009. First generation to spend their entire adolescence in the age of the smartphone." [07:18]

Generation Alpha (2010–?)

• Current children and tweens; known (sometimes jokingly) for "skibidi toilets" and new trends.
• Paige: "I think that we're not all just like all like the new trends and stuff...also just like people too." [08:09]

Generation Beta

• Just beginning (babies from ~2025 onward), not much is known yet.
• Paige: "Good luck." (to Gen Beta kids) [08:43]

3. Why Do Generations Get Named — and How?

• No official board or group names generations; names "just stick" over time.

• Examples:

  • "Baby Boomer" — coined by journalists.
  • "Generation X" caught on after Douglas Coupland's book in 1991.
  • "Millennials" were first called "Generation Y."
  • "Alpha" is like starting over at "A."

• Paige: "Kind of boring if you ask me." [13:22]

• Kids’ alternate names for Gen Alpha:

  • Fluctua, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Generation Gamer, Gentech, Generation Together, Generation Brains On [13:32–14:18].

4. Stereotypes and Generalizations

• Each generation gets labeled (often unfairly) by those older than them.

• Dr. Corey Seemiller: "Every young generation has been labeled something." [15:21]

• Paige: "Gen Alpha has been called the Glass Generation because we spend a lot of time on screens, but also because some people think we are emotionally fragile, like a glass window that breaks easily." [15:09]

• Molly: "Stereotypes are when you make a big statement about a whole group of people. It's a label that doesn't always reflect reality." [15:36]

• Corey corrects the "lazy" Gen Z stereotype, saying they're actually "cautious and thoughtful" [15:57].

• Generational research is based on averages; doesn't capture everyone's uniqueness.

• Paige: "But when you do that, you miss out on a lot of the ways that people in generation are different too." [16:32]

5. Are Generations Useful for Understanding People?

• Kim Parker (Pew Research Center): They help us spot broad social change, but age and stage of life are often as important as generational grouping.
  • Kim Parker: "The trickiest thing about generations is that it's not just another word for age... It's not because they're part of this unique group that we're calling a generation." [21:56]
• Example: Attitudes about taxes may change with age, not necessarily with generation [22:21].
• Social scientists use surveys over time to measure and compare generational attitudes (e.g., about technology, optimism, politics) [23:13–23:50].
• Tech is the big separator now—youngest kids spend more time on screens, less time in person with friends [23:55].

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "Generations help us see the ways we are different from those who came before us."
  — Jean Twenge, [03:58]
• "I think that we're not all just like, all like, the new trends and stuff and that we're also just like people too."
  — Paige, [08:09]
• "We can definitely do better. That's why we asked all of you to tell us what you'd name your generation."
  — Molly Bloom, [13:23]
• "Every young generation has been labeled something. Usually not nice by older generations."
  — Corey Seemiller, [15:21]
• "If you hear people talking about Gen Alpha, always doing this or saying that, it's totally normal if you think, 'Hey, that doesn't sound like me. I'm my own person.'"
  — Molly Bloom, [16:52]
• "The trickiest thing about generations is that it's not just another word for age... It’s not because they’re part of this unique group that we’re calling a generation."
  — Kim Parker, [21:56]
• "Generations are groups of individuals and everyone is unique."
  — Molly Bloom, [25:53]

Fun & Interactive Moments

• "Mystery Sound" Challenge: Paige and Molly guess a springy doorstop is a car or drill. [09:05, 26:19]
• Mr. Bonejangles: The talking skeleton tries to puzzle out his own "generation," eventually invents "Generation Boo" for ghosts and spooky things. [17:07, 24:18]
• Listener Input: Kids suggest new names for Generation Alpha, adding creative and silly suggestions. [13:32–14:18]

Important Timestamps

• Defining Generations: [02:30–03:11]
• Meet the Generations: [04:18–08:02]
• Naming Generations: [12:20–13:12]
• Stereotypes Discussion: [15:09–16:37]
• Are Generations Useful?: [21:22–24:10]
• Generations Recap: [25:28–25:53]
• Listener Mystery Sound Reveal: [26:19–27:07]

Key Takeaways

• Generations are labels for large groups of people born around the same time who often share cultural experiences, but they’re not official or perfect.
• Generational names come from the media, writers, and what catches on, not from any authority.
• Stereotypes about generations are common and usually inaccurate — it’s important to remember individuality is greater than any label.
• Studying generations can reveal patterns and change, but age and context play a big role in how people act and think.
• The episode encourages curiosity, creativity (kid-proposed generation names!), and critical thinking about sweeping generalizations.

Closing Thought

Generations can help us understand big social patterns, but at the end of the day, everyone is unique. As Molly sums it up:
"Generations are groups of individuals and everyone is unique." [25:53]

Recommended for:
Curious kids, families, teachers, and anyone interested in how social science helps us think about ourselves and the world in new ways.