Time flew and we are into a whole new era where everything has evolved to forming new Normal in society. The society we were in yesterday was much more different from this new era. This tech savvy era is whole different one in every aspect. The late alpha and newly born beta kids are born into a completely different world from that of our childhood. With the birth of These new born, Gen Zs are also taking rebirth into new evolved parents. Explore with me the changes made in parenting and also learn some new exciting parenting techniques at the end of the article that will help you to become a more confident and more loved Parent.
Traditional Parenting vs. Gen Z Parents
In Traditional parenting the parents were the authority of children, They taught what they learnt from their parents. They provided a more disciplined and strict environment for their child creating a clear hierarchy between parents and children. In traditional parenting, parents were supreme and their decisions were rarely questioned. Parents had set goals for their children what they will do at each stage of their life and that gen children were taught to accept what their parents wanted them to do.
That gen parents were little harsh with their children as they believe being harsh is necessary to keep their child in discipline and strict parents was the traditional obedient parent figure in society at that time. But this has changed now. Parenting has became completely different as well as the relationship between parents and children has also became friendly. New age parenting has changed all these traditional ways of parenting and completely evolved into new ways and more mindful parenting methods.
Breaking the Mold and Redefining Parenting
Gen Z parents are not set back to limitations for their child. They are more Towards democratic parenting While reshaping or rejecting traditional norms they find harmful for their child. This generation of parents believes in individuality of every child offering them their uniqueness and choices to form their own thoughts and values.
They don’t want their child to follow a set of prescribed rules, instead they search for tools that allow them to help in their child’s logistic and critical decision making development. Gen z parents aim to create a inclusive, diverse, and nurturing environment that encourages their children to discover and express their unique identities.
Gender Neutral Parenting
In Traditional Parenting, Both the parents had different set roles mostly according to their gender where father is much less involved in a child’s personal care, shaping his/her personality. Rather than being directly involved in child’s care, a traditional father had the role of fulfilling the material needs of his child. Most of the burden of parenting was on the mother, but modern or new age parents are breaking gender norms and involving into a gender neutral parenting where both the father and mother are very responsible towards emotional needs of their child, both the parents work equally whether it’s taking care of the child feeding the child or listening to their feelings.
Gender neutral parenting has offered couple to be better parents for their child and better role models. It will also teach children gender equality from very beginning offering them to become a better person in future.
It has also made parenting easier by distribution of equal works in household and also emotional support and better bond formation between couples.
Helicopter Parenting
It might sounds like a new term but it’s very common in both traditional parenting as well as in modern parenting. It is the over involvement of parents in their children’s life, constantly monitoring them and controlling them. However some changes are also made in this as now parenting is more on softer side as compared to earlier times.
Helicopter parenting includes parents being overprotective, taking extra care of their child, being very attentive to their every action and choice. They often try to manage everything in their children’s life willing to make things smoother and easier for their child.
Whether in any generation or era of parenting, helicopter parenting can be bad for a child’s development if it exceeds the limit. Excess care or over protection can affect child’s confidence level, their decision making choices, can make them emotionally weak and always seeking for help which can prevent them from being self dependent.
Focus on mental health
Mental health didn’t exist for parents in traditional parenting but in today’s generation mental health has taken very important place, especially new generation parents are so aware and concerned about their child’s mental health since very young age. They keep checking how their child is behaving and they might not do anything that affects their child’s feelings adversely.
Mental Health is not just a going on trend now, it’s become a major part in this era.
Role of Technology and AI in parenting
In this Tech savvy era Parenting is also associated with technology. AI and Technology are offering tools that can enhance Both the parenting experience and child development.
AI can make parenting easier in many different ways such as -
Monitoring and safety: AI can offer various parenting tools such as smart baby monitors, location tracking apps, and devices like smart camera can give parents peace of mind by ensuring child’s safety and providing real time updates about their child’s well-being. Technology and AI tools gets an important role in parenting as in this generation both the parents are working and, However they can’t rely on AI for safety and care of their child but it can still provide tools for making parenting easier in new generation.
But at the same time it also creates many Challenges of Parenting in Tech Era.
Technical world has made children smarter and parenting tough. It has created many challenges for the Parents such as Protecting Their child’s Privacy, providing digital safety, monitoring their child’s online activities, managing their screen time, Preventing digital dependency and over exposure of digital world.
Ensuring Good work and Personal Life Balance
With changing times There’s pressure of achieving Best in career as well as being good parents at the same time. This often create issues in managing home and personal life. This pressure especially affects kid’s life as working parents often becomes physically and emotionally unavailable for their child. This can create major impact on a child’s life. Unavailability of Parents for a child can make them feel alone and force them to seek attention from outside which can be dangerous for an immature child.
Parenting is Tough
Whether it was years back or now, Parenting has always been tough. Becoming Parent is a special feeling but nurturing and growing up kids is a big responsibility, and there’s no specific qualification to learn how to become perfect parents. So there's always some good or some bad terms of parenting in every Era. Neither Traditional Parenting Nor Modern parenting is completely right or wrong way, a balance between both can be the best way to raise kids well.
Few Methods that can make parenting easier:
- Positive Discipline: Traditional parenting was based on very strict and harsh discipline which often affected child adversely and formed negative impact and made them feel that they are not loved, in contrast Modern parents believe in not being strict kids at all. Instead of being very harsh or being extremely soft to your kids you can maintain a balance between both and set positive disciplined environment at home by letting them know that you love them but they have to do the right thing and be disciplined.
- Be easy with yourself: Know that you can also make mistakes even when you have become a parent, but accept your mistake and work on that. This will help you to keep things easier in your life and will reduce your over responsibility. Through This you will also become role model to your child and will teach them to accept their mistakes and make apologies.
- The 777 Rule: The 777 Rule is a parenting rule developed by child psychologists. This divides the child's life in three parts before they become adult. this rule says that: Till the age of 0-7 years of your child, play with them, let things be easier for them, engage in playing with them and make them understand things in a playful manner. from the age of 7 to 14, a child is in the phase of curiosity, they want to know the world as well as showing themselves to the world around them. During these 7 years teach different skills to your child, expect from them to work appropriately and in disciplined manner, allow them to do or opt for different hobbies they like to indulge in. The last 7 years that before they change into an adult from 14 to 21 years of age, Advise them. This is the age when your child is mature and can decide what they are good at. ask them about their choices and help them or advise them to choose better but do not enforce them to do a certain thing.
Remember, there's nothing like perfect parenting Tips and no one can be a perfect parent ever but with keeping certain things in mind and paying attention to your own behaviour with your child you can keep parenting guilts at par and can give your child a better childhood, as well as making them a better person.