The Evolution of Parenting: What Millennials Want to Instill in Their Kids
When you hear Baby Boomers and Generation X talking, you can often hear that Millennials are said to be selfish, self-oriented, entitled and completely lost when it comes to thinking about their future. However, studies show that this simply isn’t the case but that Millennials might be the best parents history has ever seen.
Millennial parents are more focused on their families because they see parenting as a part of their identity. They won’t think that parenting knowledge is a gift from God, but they will rather do research and find out what current knowledge of parenting can provide them with. Such dedicated parents are instilling values in their children which previous generations have never thought of, and here are some of the most important lessons Millennials want their kids to remember.
Life is what happens behind the schedule
Millennials have grown tired of the idea that life is pre-programmed for them and that all they have to do is be another cog in the machine. Thanks to the massive information resources which are available today, they can see where the system is flawed and choose to rebel against it. This is why many Millennials choose to take a year off studies and travel the world or become volunteer workers in foreign countries.
The lesson that Millennials want to pass on to their children is that the experiences in life are the only thing that no one can take away from them. They want their kids to know that life isn’t about buying a house and paying off student debts. Life is what happens behind the scenes of the system, which is why Millennials want their kids to be aware that they can choose their own future.
A good education is the key to success
Many generations of parents have had this same educational mantra, so what’s so special about Millennial parents? Well, never has being educated had a bigger price than it does today. In the era of constant technological advancements, more and more manual jobs are being replaced with jobs that require a lot of cognitive effort and knowledge. Millennials are aware of this situation, which is why they are encouraging their kids to pursue knowledge that will lead them to success later on in life.
Schools, however, are not in line with the fast-moving technological world, which is why kids today find themselves often lost and confused. While school is still preparing them for jobs that might not even exist when they finish it, Millennial parents are trying to be ahead of the system by introducing their children to quality online tutoring. Educational methods that are focused on personalized knowledge gaps are what Millennial parents believe in when it comes to acquiring knowledge.
Love yourself so that you can love others
Since Millennials have the reputation of being selfish, it’s hard not to wonder how they could possibly be good parents. Surprisingly though, a Winnie survey has shown that selfishness paves the path to selflessness. It’s almost as if Millennials have a qualitative shift of central focus from themselves to their children. The important aspect of this shift is that Millennials more often choose to have children on their own, and they do so when they feel like they are ready to become parents.
The take-home message Millennials can bring to their children from this point of view is that they too need to love themselves in order to be able to unconditionally love another. Self-care and self-improvement are among the most important values Millennials share, and it seems as if these values are leading them towards self-respect and psychological wellbeing.
Home is where the heart is
Finally, Millennials value travel as a source of intense experience that can bring both knowledge and joy to life. While previous generations of parents installed in their kids that having a home at a single place is important, Millennials rebel against the idea of being bound to one place on Earth. Owning houses is not important to them, and they will want their kids to feel free to find their home wherever they feel like home is.
Wrapping Up
Millennials are the most informed generation of parents there ever was, which definitely gives them a head start for raising children who will become great people one day. Let’s just hope they will use that knowledge for good and install these values in their children is the best possible way.