(BPT) - With access to more news and social media than generations past, Gen Z parents are faced with more options than ever before when it comes to raising their own kids. In fact, a new Kiddie Academy survey of 2,000 parents of children ages 0-6 found that more than four in five parents polled (85%) agree that there's no "one size fits all" approach when it comes to parenting, as they blend an average of three different parenting styles.
According to The Bump, parenting priorities likely reflect the environments each generation grew up in. For example, millennials who came of age in the '90s have seen a growing cultural focus on mental health, while Gen Zers, who came of age during a challenging post-COVID job market, see the need to be "practical, resilient and future-ready."
Here are three ways Gen Zers parent differently from their parents:
Tough love trumps warm-and-fuzzy
Gen Z parents prioritize preparing their child for the real world (54%). And when asked how similar or different their parenting styles were to how they were raised, 40% of those surveyed said their approach was "somewhat" to "very different" from their parents. This paradigm shift in parenting reflects the real-world focus of Gen Zers compared to previous generations, notably their own parents. It's more "actions have consequences" than "trophies for everyone." There's an intentional focus on preparing children for life's inevitable disappointments instead of sheltering them. Survey findings also revealed these younger parents follow their own intuition (47%) slightly more than they follow their parents' advice (46%).
Gen Z parents face generational trauma head on
Despite Gen Z being the first generation raised with "gentle parenting" in mind, only 32% employ this approach as parents themselves, instead leaning more towards "cycle-breaking parenting" (41%) which focuses on healing generational trauma by actively identifying and addressing negative family patterns. Not only does this parenting style require self-awareness and empathy, it takes courage to face unresolved issues and uncomfortable emotions.
Gen Zers parent each child uniquely
The majority of Gen Z parents are choosing parenting styles based on what their individual child needs — rather than trying to make their preferred style work regardless of their child's personality. And they're tailoring their parenting style to suit the circumstances as well as the child. What's more, 84% of parents surveyed say their styles have evolved as their children have gotten older.
Perhaps because they're having fewer children than previous generations and delaying having children due to the desire to achieve financial stability first, Gen Zers plan to be less traditional about raising children. They have a strong desire to make the world a better place and model this outlook for their children. Consequently, Gen Z parents are using a mix of styles focused on prioritizing real-world consequences, healing generational trauma and treating each child as a unique individual. And they're flexing flexibility by being willing to change their approach as their children grow.
"What's true across generations is that parents are learning to parent as they go," said Joy Turner, vice president of education at Kiddie Academy. "Creating a nurturing environment where children feel safe, supported and loved is ultimately the most important thing we can do for our little ones."
