Raising Gen Alpha: Helping Kids Navigate Everything from Anxiety to AI

by Dave Boden, Leah Boden (Foreword)

In a rapidly changing world, Raising Gen Alpha helps parents, pastors, and educators understand, love, and lead today’s children.

Gen Alpha is growing up in a world very different from the one their parents did. Born between 2010-2024, this generation faces intense pressure from school, social media, mental health struggles, and the rapid rise of technology. Despite their deep desire to make a difference, parents, educators, and faith leaders often feel overwhelmed by the growing generational divide. How do we bridge the gap to make a connection and ensure these children and teens feel seen, heard, valued, cared for, and safe?

Using the acronym ALPHA (Anxious-minded, Leading influencers, Pandemic-impacted, Hyperconnected, and AI-shaped) to explain the challenges and experiences that have shaped them, author Dave Boden equips readers to disciple Gen Alpha with clarity, compassion, and confidence. By understanding the world today’s children are growing up in, we’re better prepared to equip them with the faith and insight they need to thrive.Balances cultural insight with biblical wisdom so that readers are spiritually grounded and given practical ways to engage and help the next generation.Provides strategies to address challenges like anxiety, social media pressure, and the influence of AI.Designed to spark meaningful conversations and equip adults to engage with Gen Alpha in a way that encourages growth, faith, and resilience.

162 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 1, 2026

About the author

Dave Boden is the operations director of Grace Foundation, a UK schools-based charity, where he leads a team of more than thirty trained staff, who work daily with over 10,000 teenagers outworking a vision to transform young people's lives through holistic education. Dave has also developed Kleer Series, a media ministry designed to help start spiritual conversations with young people in any context. This content has been viewed over half a million times on YouTube (with more than two million impressions), material has been downloaded by thousands of churches worldwide, and partnerships have been developed with key international organizations, from Youth for Chris to Life Church USA. There is also a complimentary Bible plan that has had well over 120,000 downloads on YouVersion.

Reviews

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

While there is some discrepancy about the years Gen Alpha covers, there is no discrepancy about the issues they face. They are being raised in a post-COVID world that is very different from the pre-COVID world.
Author Dave Boden has worked with young people for most of his adult life, including his own children. He has a passion for understanding young people in their culture. Through Raising Gen Alpha, he seeks to help parents and those who work with the age group to better understand how to reach this generation for Christ.
Through five easy-to-read chapters, Boden helps readers understand what (or who) Gen Alpha is… anxious, an influencer, pandemic-impacted, hyperconnected, and AI-shaped. He closes the book with a section to help better understand the type of church Gen Alpha needs.
I highly recommend this book for parents, pastors, teachers, youth leaders, and anyone who works with people who are currently in elementary or middle school. I was so impressed by the concepts in this book that I bought a copy for my daughter, an elementary teacher.
I did receive a complimentary copy of Raising Gen Alpha. This is my honest review.

[Griffin Swihart · Rating 5 out of 5]

An easy recommendation for youth workers, pastors, parents, and anyone interested in and investing in Gen Alpha! It’s a short and simple read, but jam-packed with helpful stats and stories to give context to Gen Alpha and the world they live in, as well as loads of wisdom for guiding Gen Alpha to embrace their strengths and passions and navigating the pitfalls particular to their generation, too. Worth keeping close by on your shelf!

[Chelsea Tademy · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a parent, this book piqued my interest from the moment I saw it. My kids are growing up in the technical Wild West and I feel ill-equipped to navigate them. (The AI stuff freaked me out, it already does way more than I imagined.) But this book helped me feel like we can do this together. I wholeheartedly feel like everyone should read this (especially parents, church leaders, and teachers.)