Gen X parenting with Millennial parents/classmates

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: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?

Wow wheel chair parents

[Anonymous]

Wow I can't imagine being 40+ and having kids that's like 40 years out of touch.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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…

I agree, but is this really a new thing?

I’m an elder millennial, and my kids are young teens. I feel like kids are so much nicer these days than when I was a kid. My son has autism, and I have seen his classmates be really kind and accepting of him. Not everyone. Some people will always be jerks. But I feel like when we were growing up, even the nicest kids just weren’t mean to kids who were different. These kids actively go out of their way to invite DS to stuff and ask him to sit with them at lunch.

I just think there is so much less fear about non-conformity.

[Anonymous]

I'm Gen X with Silent Generation parents. I was complaining about millennial parents recently, and my college-aged son made some mocking comment and added his 2 cents - that their entitled behavior is because they are DC-area professionals and not because they are millennials. I think maybe he's right, and I've just managed to find a friend group that's really grounded.

As for my parenting, I am NOT a helicopter parent, but I still do a lot more for my kids than my parents did for me (looking for camp opportunities, help with homework, etc.). I'm not super-strict, I let my kids make mistakes, but I don't hand them everything, either. For example, they had to pay for their phones themselves with money they earned from jobs, I didn't provide them with phones.

[Anonymous]

I’m a millennial and I parent like you. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[Anonymous]

Gen x parent. All my instincts had to change when my kid was determined to have significant special needs. Sometimes the changes you see in parenting styles have less to do with generations and more to do with the needs of a cohort of kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: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.

Our experience as well we attribute it two a) more two income families because of expenses with housing etc b) the rise of SAHD and moms with CAREERS rather than more flexible part time mom jobs. For our oldest, we didn’t know a SINGLE family with a mom who worked 40 hour job once kids were in kinder. That has changed. Dads just don’t volunteer as much except sports.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wow I can't imagine being 40+ and having kids that's like 40 years out of touch.

You had kids at age 1? What are you even talking about?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow I can't imagine being 40+ and having kids that's like 40 years out of touch.

You had kids at age 1? What are you even talking about?

Some middle school kids found this thread

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: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.

When younger parents volunteer, they just stand around and look at their phone the entire time, instead of actually helping. This is what I'd say is the biggest difference.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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.

Our experience as well we attribute it two a) more two income families because of expenses with housing etc b) the rise of SAHD and moms with CAREERS rather than more flexible part time mom jobs. For our oldest, we didn’t know a SINGLE family with a mom who worked 40 hour job once kids were in kinder. That has changed. Dads just don’t volunteer as much except sports.

Where were you living? That sounds bizarre.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow I can't imagine being 40+ and having kids that's like 40 years out of touch.

You had kids at age 1? What are you even talking about?

Some middle school kids found this thread

They seem to do that a lot. And they leave bizzare comments. I don't understand why it's fun.

[Anonymous]

I’m Gen X and had kids old and my sister is Millennial and had hers a bit younger. Our parenting styles are more or less the same. Both of our husbands are very involved. I think as an older mom I have an easier time not sweating the small stuff but that’s not generational. My husband has some latchkey kid trauma that makes him a bit overprotective.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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.

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.

I’m genx and have the opposite experience. It’s the millennial parents that volunteer and I dislike volunteering and would rather pay.

I wish swim teams would stop nagging the parents and just pay for timers, concessions, etc. Every week is a struggle to get the necessary number of volunteers. I think that’s the only reason they wanted us back this year and sent multiple emails: I always used to volunteer at each meet.

[Anonymous]

I’m gen x but younger end and your attitude feels boomer to me. Never occurred to me to send my kids to bed without dinner unless they don’t want dinner