Gen X parenting with Millennial parents/classmates
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Anonymous
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I am genx. I had my DD at 40 (husband was 41)
I feel our “old school” ways of parenting (not everyone deserves a trophy mentality, go to bed without dinner. Not as strict as we were raised, but influenced ) is so different than how my child’s friends are being raised. How did GenX parents raise their kids vs Millennials? Are GenX kids the GenZ? What are Millennials kids generation? Are Millennials’ parents Boomers? |
Anonymous
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How did GenX parents raise their kids vs Millennials?
Are GenX kids the GenZ? Yes or gen alpha What are Millennials kids generation? Gen Z or Alpha Are Millennials’ parents Boomers? Yes largely I'm gen x and had my kids at 42 so they are still young. I would never send them to bed without dinner. I thought gen x was kind and accepting. Gen X doesn't care about trophies or winning. Sounds like you are describing old school boomer parenting. |
Anonymous
I agree. GenX here who had kids at an older age. We don’t do any of that nor do any of our GenX friends. |
Anonymous
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I am a Gen X parent and going to bed without dinner is cruel.
I haven't actually noticed that much of a difference - everyone I've talked to bemoans participation trophies, for example. The biggest difference I've noticed is that millennial parents spend a lot more money than we do. Maybe they earn more, I have no idea, but I was taught to be frugal and my parents are currently reaping the rewards of their earlier frugality, so I don't intend to change that mindset. It does mean that my kids get envious of their friends' fancy vacations, ask why we don't have nice cars, etc. |
Anonymous
| I’m older GenX and we would never do the no dinner thing either. The biggest difference I see is that we allowed our kids to experience age appropriate disappointment, consequences, and taught them resilience and grit. They learned to work hard in order to achieve and that life isn’t fair. Some people will always have more and some people will always have less. |
Anonymous
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OP here. I was trying to come up with a contrasting way of parenting between the generations.
I feel I explain my feelings a lot to my child. Why I am upset. And I also try to make sure she s HEARD. (I didn’t get that from my parents. Silent Generation) We are probably more protective. Maybe we saw more, experienced shady stuff growing up. |
Anonymous
| OP, your style is not reflective of Gen X. I think it's more likely your kid's friend's parents took some parenting classes. |
Anonymous
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I’m Gen X, and I think most of the differences are positive. Fathers are more involved, for one. There are a lot more SAHDs, dads wearing babies, dads out solo with their kids, etc. 15 years ago there weren’t even changing tables in most men’s restrooms.
Also, people are generally nicer to their kids (at least in public). 15 years ago, if I saw a kid misbehaving, their parent would likely hit them or at least talk sharply and angrily. I always found that more disturbing than a crying 3 year old. People seem to be generally more tolerant of kids acting like kids. Breastfeeding has become more commonplace and acceptable. Even my very conservative friends breastfeed in public now using a nursing cover. It used to be a lot more rare. People are a lot more tolerant of their kids breaking the mold and being different. I think there was a lot of multigenerational trauma. There were two generations of men back to back who fought in horrific world wars. Then there were the baby boomers who grew up thinking it was normal for men to be kind of avoidant and drink after work every day and basically act like someone with undiagnosed PTSD. I think that people are finally coming out of this multigenerational trauma and acting like normal, less terrified and anxious, human beings with their kids. |
Anonymous
| I'm a Millennial married to an X-er. The difference my Gen X DH claims he sees is that many younger parents (not borderline Millenials like me) are less likely to step up and get involved in sports, clubs, and PTAs. It's not a perfect generalization and there are definitely exceptions on both sides, but it does seem like fewer and fewer people volunteer for things every year. |
Anonymous
| Im gen x with a 9 year old. My parents were silent generation. My parents were loving, sacrificed, and didn’t tolerate bs. I parent the same way but am more permissive because i have more time and disposable income. I don’t believe in participation trophies after the age of 9. Im strict about behavior expectations but I’m more open about emotions and more forgiving of kids being kids, i don’t care about swear words- i care about proper grammar, manners, and being kind. I am shocked at kids today being mean, trash talking, saying dumb things- telling kids they cheated or don’t belong someplace. I can’t believe how many mean kids there are- what makes them think they can just say anything? Sure think it but why walk up yo a kid and say I am better than you- thats some millenial bs parenting right there… |
Anonymous
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I’m gen X but my best mom friend is a millennial. We parent very similarly.
Some things i’m more old school on, like respect for adults and behavior expectations. Haven’t ever sent my kid to bed with no dinner though. She eats healthy most of the time so I see no need to force food on her she doesn’t like. |
Anonymous
I don’t know that this is bad. In a capitalist society, it’s kind of ridiculous to rely on free labor to get things done. For example from my own life. You can hire teenage lifeguards to be timers at the swim meet for $15/hr. You don’t need to ask a judge to spend her limited time off standing at the edge of the pool for four hours instead of socializing with her friends and family. And we don’t need two separate times to see what a seven year old got in her 25 free. |
Anonymous
Frankly, I think that’s old school Gen X and boomer parenting. Kids don’t say that stuff unless they hear it at home. |
Anonymous
| I am genx and had my first at 27. My BFF is the same age but had her first at 42, so most of her parenting peers are millennials. The biggest differences I see are that millennial parents don't like to say no as much, allow a lot more screentime, and that millennial fathers are way more involved than the average genx father in planning and baby stuff. |
Anonymous
I agree, but is this really a new thing? |