Growing up I found my parents to be very strict with me and my siblings with clear rules set out that we always had to follow. As I have grown older those rules have become none existent with my parents changing up on us becoming softer and our best friends.
My mother has always leaned on the gentle parenting side with her being my biggest cheerleader. My father took a different route when it came to parenting, throwing gentleness out the window. His parenting method was one we called military strict, and straight to business.
My sister is currently a mother to a dashing 4-year-old boy, this has got me comparing her parenting technique as a Gen Z to my parents who are Gen X.
A difference I have noted in the two parenting styles is the freeness of the kids. My sister’s child is more outgoing and does not restrict himself when it comes to his emotions, confidence is one beautiful treat I could borrow from him.
With my siblings and I, the strictness that led to fear made us live in a bubble that did not allow us to grow our confidence. Only after the fear of our parents was lifted from our shoulders then was our comfortability to be ourselves created.
Another difference I noted between Gen Z and Gen X parents was the friendships with their children. Gen z parents strive to be close friends to their children and less of a parental figure. This is while Gen X parents do not see the need of friendship with their young children and they hence implement parenting on them.
Gen z parents have been seen to have the ‘I can have it all’ mentality when it comes to their children and careers,this is different for a number of Gen x parents whose main priority was always their families and ensuring their wellbeing.
With parenting a soft spot for understanding your child’s needs is always important. You are supposed to be your child’s safe space away from the chaos of the world. Mothers are an important figure in one’s life, and respect of the utmost order should always be given to them.
