Millennial parents are sweeping out the parenting ways of old. They are not satisfied with simply being the authority in the home or the social mediator for their children. Unlike the generation before them, they have notions of friendship and understanding between themselves and the children they raise. Does it not seem like yesterday that everyone worried about the millennial who smoked weed and lived in the basement of their parents home? Or the millennial who studied studying and lived at the coffee shop with no immediate goals? That same goatee wearing and essential oil using Millennial has grown up and cleaned house. They may not have mastered the in-between of high school and life but dang if they haven’t learned to parent.
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Hey mama, I am Trish— AKA Labor Nurse Mama. I am a labor and delivery nurse with over 15 years of high-risk OB experience. I am also a mama to 7 kids and have given birth to 6. This means I am quite familiar with the postpartum period and how to navigate it. I am the online birth class educator for Calm Labor Confident Birth and The VBAC Lab birth classes and the mama expert inside our Calm Mama Society, a pregnancy & postpartum membership community! I am passionate about your birth and motherhood journey! You can find me over on IG teaching over 230k mamas daily. I am passionate about your birth and motherhood journey!
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Those born between 1980 ( some say 1978) through the early 2000s are recognized as what has been coined, The Millennials. And guess what, those coffee sipping dreamers have taken over the workforce. Not only the workforce but all of America, as they account for pretty much most of the people becoming new parents last year.
What are Millennial parents like?
Millennial moms are a happy medium between baby boomers and Gen X. Baby boomers rebelled against the norm of a mom in an apron and dad in a suit, but in that parenting wasn’t much of a term. As a result, Baby Boomers weren’t as involved in their kid's lives. Along comes Gen X, who mastered the art of helicopter parenting and rulemaking. Millennials have found this sweet spot of being a parent yet also being a friend to their children. This generation is much more likely to allow their child to have a say in decisions within the home. Social media is not banned but is carefully watched and approved in their children's lives. A millennial's toddler can use an iPhone better than a Baby Boomer. That same child can also hold a decent conversation because their parents TALK to them and educate them.
How are Millennial Parents Different?
Millennial parents recognize that life is full of difference and there isn't a one size fits all when it comes to parenting. They are more accepting of non-traditional households and styles. Millennials are transparent and desire transparency from others. They are multi-taskers like no other generation. This generation is not afraid to go after what they want and will not sit back and allow others to take what they believe should be theirs alone. A Family Weekend Getaway in Tennessee at the Moxy Chattanooga Downtown!
Millennial Parents and Social Media/Technology
This generation of parents grew up under the umbrella of technology at its finest. Their parents had cell phones, and as a right of passage (at like 9) they also had cell phones. Millennial parents are less likely to be against social media and technology in their child's life. They have embraced this culture of social media sharing and do it proudly. As parents, they proudly share their child's photo and daily updates on social media. However, unlike other generations, Millennials are well aware of internet safety and privacy settings and use them accordingly.
For a millennial, Social media is how they announce all things, including a birth. Call the local paper? What? (Yes, As I explained to my millennial child, I called the newspaper and gave them the deets and they would announce the birth) Setting up a birth announcement or milestones on Instagram is a Millennials second nature and they rock it like a superstar.
Millennial Parents and Shopping
Millennial Parents have revolutionized brand marketing and changed advertising norms completely. Brands are foolish to not go to a Millennial Influencer to market their product. A Millennial Influencer has the potential to influence sales more than a multi-million dollar campaign. The importance of micro-influencers in the Millennial generation is crazy! It can be a great thing for a brand or a really terrible thing for a brand. If you tick off a Millennial, they will post it and set off a chain reaction. As purchasers, they do not make rash decisions, instead, they will search the internet and compare prices and products alike. Millennials will utilize money-saving apps and make cash back at the same time. Millennials are known for browsing and have to be romanced into a purchase. However, they are more about quality and the small shop than most generations. Millennials are the majority of influencers and bloggers. If you are a millennial reading this, start your blog now. Seriously, Millennial influencers are changing everything we know about shopping. If a Millennial needs a stroller, they head to youtube to watch someone like Hello Happy Mom break it down. They search Pinterest to do their due diligence and then watch videos on the models they have chosen. They will base their purchase on the influence of other Millennials. Makeup questions, they watch a tutorial. Yep, head to a vlog and watch how anything how it's done. If buying a gift for a toddler then they read a toddler gift guide. Millennial Bloggers and Vloggers are making significant dollars, allowing them to be at home and involved in their child's life. It's truly mind-boggling.
Although, I must admit the younger of Gen X (like me) have taken lessons from millennial parents and applying them. I just dated myself, so watch out.
Millennials and Baby Naming:
Millennials have changed up the way babies are named. No longer do they carry on a family name but rather they choose an individualized name that is uncommon as possible. Millennials do not desire their child to fit in but rather to stand out. They want unique baby names based on experiences and feelings. They do not want a Michael or a Mary! Instead, they might have a Liam or a Mia. Do not expect Millennials to go the mainstream route when it comes to anything parenting related. Other generations have a lot to learn from Millennials in many areas, including parenting. However, as with all generations, each can learn from the other. Hey, if you are interested in starting a blog, which I think is a fantastic idea, head to Bluehost to start today. *less than $4 a month.
