I think for me, the main difference is that generations are not so cut and dry like the media portrays a lot. Generations seem more fluid in terms of when you begin a generation and when you end one. I wouldn’t say children being born now are Generation Z, but what about 8 year-olds? It’s an ambiguous question that doesn’t necessarily have an answer but rather, I think as long as you can explain your choices for including a certain age or not including a certain age, it doesn’t matter all that much. A generation is defined as a group that is connected by time of birth, which is pretty ambiguous itself. Does this mean everyone born between the hours of 11 AM and 12PM are a generation? Does it mean I could consider a generation anyone born in June? While both seem odd or maybe a bit extreme, by the logic of the definition of a generation both are plausible. I think the only thing that is really important is that you can justify why certain age groups are being considered a generation. For instance, all the children born during the pandemic could be a generation by themselves because they all were born during an extremely difficult and taxing time and as they grow up they can share and empathize with others who went through the same thing.
