Bad Parenting Habits Millennials Left Behind
Millennials get a lot of flak for their parenting, some of it being well-deserved. They do tend to give kids too much screen time, but the truth is Millennials learned a lot about what to avoid. Some parenting habits are best left in the past. Thankfully, Millennials don’t make these old-school habits their own.
No Risky Hand-Me-Downs
Not all hand-me-downs are made equal. If you are old enough to remember it, parents used to hand other parents decades-old toys, cribs, and car seats as a gift. This is no longer done because most of the stuff of yesteryear have been declared unsafe.
There are so many recalls on toys and car seats it’s often best to avoid using them as hand-me-downs. Stick to clothes, please!
No Single Track To Success
If you grew up as a Millennial, you had parents who really drilled it into you that college was the only way to succeed. College was not a “maybe” but a must. This all backfired when crippling student loans and an excess of college degrees hit the job market. Millennials are quick to point out that college is one of many ways to succeed when talking to their kids. This is a great thing.
No Spanking
Spanking has fallen out of favor for the past couple of decades, with fewer families than ever before saying they’ve ever spanked their child. Gentle parenting and simple coaching have become the new way to do things. That’s great since spanking is often linked with abuse.
Less Negative Religion
Religion has been on the general decline in America for decades. While many families find solace and strength through religion, not all do. Parents who suffer from spiritual abuse or are worried about authoritarian parenting are increasingly unwilling to add religion to any part of their parenting style.
More Tolerance
It’s no secret that tolerance and equality have become hot buzzwords among most Millennials. It’s the generation that saw the passage of gay marriage as well as the discourse over trans rights. Unsurprisingly, many Millennials are making a point of going the extra mile to teach their kids tolerance.
Less Fast Food
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to notice that fast-food joints aren’t as popular as they once were. This is doubly true with parents and children. Without playplaces, kids aren’t going to have fun. Considering the unhealthy stigma surrounding fast food, it’s not surprising that parents try to avoid a trip to the local burger joint whenever they can.
More Freedom
Millennials and other older generations rarely got to do their own thing. Millennials, in particular, tended to have very structured lifestyles as children. Perhaps that’s why many Millennial parents are encouraging kids to do what they want to do in all aspects of life. They want to empower their kids through greater autonomy.
More On Mental Health
Here’s a wild change. Almost all Millennials talk to their kids about mental health, with 98 percent of them saying they’ve had a discussion about it. When Millennials were kids, only 1 out of every 3 kids heard their parents talk about mental health. It looks like this upcoming generation is definitely going to be more aware of their well-being!
Less Authoritarian
Many Millennials grew up in strict, authoritarian homes. This was the type of home where parents would yell, punish, and “bootcamp” their kids. Millennials are increasingly turning away from authoritarian parenting because of the damage authoritarianism did to them. Some overcorrect with permissive parenting, while others consciously work toward gentle parenting.
Avoiding Overprotective Behavior
This is a bit of a point of contention. It’s no secret that Millennials were some of the first kids to endure “helicopter parenting.” Many Millennials who survived that parenting style now make a conscious effort to avoid doing that to their own children. With that said, a decent portion of Millennial parents openly admit they can be overprotective.
No Chosen Careers
Most Millennials know at least one kid whose parent basically chose their life path for them. This is a terrible habit to have as a parent since it doesn’t allow young adults to choose a path they enjoy. Millennial adults who experienced that often felt resentful. Thankfully, they’re avoiding that mistake with their own kids.
More Sex-Positivity
If you were like most Millennials, your parents did not like giving you “the talk.” In fact, most parents didn’t discuss sex topics openly at all. Millennials are making a point of changing that. They are also very open about sex education. It’s an important topic, which is why Millennial parents want to make sure their kids feel comfortable discussing it with them.
More Apologies
Most parents prior to the Millennial generation didn’t really apologize to their kids, even when their behavior was clearly out of line. Millennials are changing that, big time. Part of the Millennial vibe is learning how to say you’re sorry, even when you’re the one in charge.
