Emily Flores
Kids today are growing up with sharper instincts and louder questions, and honestly, it’s refreshing. They’re already spotting habits that feel a bit dusty and asking why we keep doing them. Their future choices might surprise us, so buckle up and see which long-standing norms they may toss out next.
Traditional Banking Branches
Physical banks don’t match how young people move today. Apps let them check balances and perform various transactions with no waiting required. Major milestones, such as mortgages, could bring them into bank branches from time to time. But in the end, branch banking becomes that outdated service that their parents once needed.
Traditional Cable TV Subscriptions
Cable TV subscriptions won’t survive Gen Alpha’s digital habits. Kids today skip scheduled programming for streaming platforms where they control what plays and when. Most people discover new shows through TikTok creators and YouTube recommendations, rather than flipping through channels. As a result, live broadcasts feel like waiting in line when you could skip to the front.
Physical School Textbooks
Physical textbooks seem outdated, as most content is now online. Many find long reading sections too slow, while apps offer clear steps in seconds. Schools continue to add more digital materials, and this steady change leaves printed books sitting quietly, unused every day.
Marriage As A Default Milestone
Growing up online means witnessing every imaginable lifestyle choice. Marriage won’t vanish completely, but its mandatory status is crumbling fast. As teens, they’ll treat wedding vows like buying a house; nice if you want it, but totally fine also if you don’t.
Printed Tickets
Why carry physical tickets when your phone does everything? Digital options are faster and harder to lose. QR codes and mobile passes have already replaced paper for most concerts and sports events. Soon enough, explaining paper tickets will sound like describing how telegrams used to work.
Single-Use Plastics
Schools now connect the act of throwing away plastics with harming the planet. This lesson resonates because reusable alternatives are constantly available to these children at home and in the classroom. In turn, companies producing disposables will face shrinking demand as this generation gains purchasing power and exercises their purchasing decisions with increasing resolve.
Gas-Powered Cars
Electric vehicles are becoming the norm as climate change awareness increases. Government policies worldwide are accelerating this shift, with bans on gas cars already scheduled in numerous regions. Eventually, combustion engines will just be something cool in old action movies.
Standardized Testing
Children growing up right now are ready to ditch standardized testing completely. Traditional exams feel irrelevant to kids who faced unprecedented educational disruptions early on. Schools are exploring alternative options, such as digital portfolios and project-based assessments. Truth is, bubble sheets can’t measure creativity or critical thinking anyway.
Meat-Centric Diets
Gen Alpha is increasingly open to plant-based eating as sustainability and health shape their food choices. Influencers introduce them to new recipes, and many parents also encourage reducing meat. Awareness of plant-based alternatives is high, and a significant portion is willing to try cultivated meat, challenging traditional meat-heavy diets.
Physical Keys
Physical keys may feel outdated to Gen Alpha, who grew up unlocking devices with biometrics and using smartphone access. Smart locks and digital entry systems are becoming standard in homes and schools, making metal keys seem unnecessary. Seamless, password-free access aligns better with their expectations of modern convenience.