A millennial mom thinks we can learn a lot from Gen Alpha, so she's reporting back from the trenches: a middle school pick-up line

• A millennial mom blew up online with her reports on Gen Alpha's view of the world.
• Faith Hitchon picked up on the insights as the parent of an 11-year-old middle schooler.

In November, 35-year-old Faith Hitchon from Los Angeles, California, posted a TikTok that featured a "trend update" from her 11-year-old daughter's middle school.

Hitchon sat in her car as she relayed observations about Gen Alpha, which she had spotted as a parent in the "trenches" of the school pick-up line.

"Don't even think about wearing pants that even hint at being tight," Hitchon told viewers, as she informed them what the kids, including her daughter India, considered uncool.

Hitchon explained pimple patches were in as an accessory, and had even become a form of trading currency among the middle schoolers. Gen Alpha boys were embracing early 2000s haircuts, and hoodies were very much in all around.

The video blew up, so Hitchon continued to post updates on Gen Alpha trends over the following weeks in a series that received millions of views.

While many were grateful for the insights, Hitchon told Business Insider in an email exchange that other millennials seemed "triggered" to find they might be stuck in the past, but she thinks there's a lot to learn from the kids of today.

Millennial responses suggest to Hitchon the generation isn't ready to grow up

In the most popular video of the series, which received 1.1 million views, Hitchon said her latest update was going to "come for the throat of every millennial." She announced that both skinny jeans and skinny leggings were out, flared pants were in, and the millennial peace sign was considered "cringe."

While some commenters embraced the notes, and asked if the TikToker could relay specific fashion queries to her daughter, others made it clear they weren't happy.

"You can pry my leggings off my cold dead body," one viewer wrote in a popular comment.

Hitchon told BI she sees variations of this sentiment so often, about various items she's mentioned, that she now views it as "the slogan of millennials" who are rejecting new trends. She said viewers were "very triggered" when she suggested skinny jeans and popsockets in particular would be better off in the garbage, according to what Gen Alpha currently views as being "in."

"I would say about half of the people who come across my videos take them critically or too seriously," Hitchon said. "Gen X in particular love to talk about how they don't care what younger generations think."

Hitchon thinks that millennials and Gen X are new to the idea of being seen as "old" and some are struggling to adapt because they don't feel fully matured themselves.

She referenced the often-cited theory that millennials were among the first generations to miss out on "traditional markers of 'growing up,'" like buying a home, which makes them feel like they are still the younger generation.

Millennials have faced more debt than their parents when they were in the same stage of life, and have a lower net worth, BI previously reported.

"I think we are having a hard time anchoring ourselves in adulthood even though the oldest millennials are turning 40 right now," Hitchon told BI. "I think like most generations we are just struggling with self-identifying as being old."

Hitchon thinks the reports are a bit of fun, but there's plenty to take from Gen Alpha's view of the world

For every defensive comment, there are also the "heartwarming" ones from viewers who are eager to learn more about Gen Alpha, Hitchon said.

Some seem to want to keep up with trends to put their own generation into perspective and figure out how they, as millennials and Gen X, come across. Others are curious about what makes the youth of today tick.

"Gen Z and Gen A are so so so different than any generation before them, being so tied to the internet, and I do think millennials want to understand them in a way that is maybe less, say, judgemental than how boomers have judged us," Hitchon told BI.

It goes far beyond fashion too. Hitchon wants the world to know how funny, self-aware, and socially conscious Gen Alpha is. She has a video in her drafts ready to go, about the generation's political beliefs.

The videos are made with the full collaboration and approval of her daughter, Hitchon said. She wants to make sure the point of view is completely authentic and accurate, because there's plenty viewers can learn.

"I think every generation should look at the next generation for inspiration," Hitchon said. "Otherwise we run the risk of only talking to ourselves or seeing the world through one perspective in time."