My theory - GenX vs Millennial parents

[Anonymous]

First - I am GenX.

I have two kids about 5 years apart and over time have noticed that the parents of the older ones classmates tend to skew toward Xers while the younger’s classmates parents skew toward Millennials.

I also did some volunteer work for both kids ECs over an extended period of time so had lots of interactions with parents.

There is a very clear difference to me between the X parents vs the Millennials (who I’m going to call Ys bc it’s too darn long to type out Millennials.)

Xers tend to be more laid back, don’t overshare, do not have as much hands on guidance with their kids.

Ys helicopter. They need to get every single question answered on their kids behalf, know “why” everything is the way it is, share all their kid’s problems.

My younger kid is entering middle school and I am watching the constant stream of questions on the class Facebook page and it is alarming.

Tell me I am wrong about this. These kids are going to ba a hot mess as adults. Their parents do everything for them

[Anonymous]

Yes, everyone who parents differently to you is wrong

[Anonymous]

An x here. Everyone will be ok. They’ll all middle through just as generations and generations before them

[Anonymous]

I am x and have a kid whose friends parents are mostly y. I have not noticed this. I notice that they drive crappy cars and wear t shirts with sayings on them.

[Anonymous]

…muddle through…

[Anonymous]

I think there are plenty of helicoptery x parents. Boomers started the helicopter and the rest of us have just made it faster.

[Anonymous]

Look I'm a Y but I've never met you because I don't have time to volunteer at school. I am certainly not as you describe and I imagine your sample size of very few is... unrepresentative at best.

[Anonymous]

Xer here. There's a class Facebook page?

Huh.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, everyone who parents differently to you is wrong

[Anonymous]

Perhaps the younger parents are more anxious about their first kid than you are about your second? And they might be joining a new school community for the first time? I am way more laid back about my second child and already know the ropes of each school. - Older Millennial

[Anonymous]

Look at a college parent facebook page for a true read on the helicopter parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Look at a college parent facebook page for a true read on the helicopter parents.

+1. Try University of MD for some laughs. JFC it is a shitshow. These parents are mostly genx with some younger boomers thrown in the mix.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Look at a college parent facebook page for a true read on the helicopter parents.

+1. Try University of MD for some laughs. JFC it is a shitshow. These parents are mostly genx with some younger boomers thrown in the mix.

+1

True of any school. I join just for the entertainment.

[Anonymous]

The kids won't be hot mess. They will be fine. I was a helicopter parent with my 2nd one because of the pressure and expectations of his father. But also, but that time we had more money and I had more time to be with the child and not work. The father isn't millennial, but older X than I am. Many reasons to be more helicopter than before.

[Anonymous]

I’m Gen X and have no idea what you’re talking about because I don’t hang around random school moms, just my close circle of friends.

I also dgaf how people parent their kids but I will side eye the gossip mom that asks too many personal questions about everyone’s kids and compares them against each other.

The one difference I have noticed is that millennial dads are way more involved with their kids at home and I find that to be a really great change.