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The Boomer generation (also known as Baby Boomers) were born between 1946-1964. They had children and raised them from the 1960s to the 1980s. This new generation (Gen X) then gave birth to the millennial generation (or Gen Y) between 1982 and 2000. So if you’re a millennial parent, your grandparents are the so-called ‘Boomers’. A lot has changed over generations of parents regarding raising kids. 

Here we break down 10 millennial parenting trends that boomers hate!

1. Every milestone posted on social media

Unlike previous generations, where parents told stories or shared pictures of their children’s milestones, millennial parenting trends involve a lot of social media. Millennial moms tend to post almost every milestone on the internet. Photos are taken each month of baby’s first year with a cute backdrop and month sticker/cube/etc. Social media beckons the millennial generation to add hashtags (e.g. #6months), even creating their own hashtag for their child’s name (e.g. #charlierae). Boomers have noticed this, especially when millennial moms create social media accounts for their little ones.

2. Gender reveal parties

Gender reveal parties seem to have boomers rolling their eyes and wondering why a soon-to-be-born baby needs more than a baby shower. Millennials love thinking of creative gender reveal parties so that everyone can celebrate the baby’s revealed gender at one time. This millennial parenting trend boasts 2,606,187 Instagram posts for #genderreveal.  Remember, the Boomer generation had to wait to find out if they were having a boy or a girl. Nowadays, parents can find out the sex of their baby as soon as 11 weeks!

3. Less likely to be married first

Statistics show that women in the boomer generation were more likely to be married before birthing their first child than women in the millennial generation. Because having children before marriage is known to be non-traditional by boomers, the older generation isn’t a fan of this millennial parenting trend. 

Interesting side note: Boomers have a higher percentage of divorce cases on their record compared to millennial parents.

4. Extra creative kid names

Nowadays, it seems like children of millennials have more unique names or name spellings. For example, “Jackson” may be spelled as “Jaxon” and “Amelia” may be spelled as “Emilia.” Boomers were more likely to name their children classic names like James, Mary, Susan, and John. Millennials also tend to like uncommon baby names like “Yoshi,” “Echo,” or “Luxe.” This millennial parenting trend of giving babies out-of-the-box names can have Boomers smacking their heads.

5. Constant need for kids to be entertained

Two things are quite relevant to children of millennial parents: screen time and lots of activities. While neither of these things is bad in themselves, the boomer generation feels that parenting today leads to kids missing out on free unstructured playtime and how to handle boredom. Boomers were okay with telling their kids to “find something to do,” or “I’ll give you something to do (aka clean the house).” Millennial parents, on the other hand, feel obligated to provide stimulating activities and playdates for their children most of the day.

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6. Sleep schedules

Parenting styles regarding when their baby sleeps are quite different nowadays compared to the boomer generation. Millennial parents are more likely to impose a specific sleeping schedule from birth to get their little one on a routine. Many even hire sleep consultants! This may involve waking the baby so that they don’t sleep too long. To do such a thing is a crime from a boomer’s perspective—hence the saying “never wake a sleeping baby.”

7. Feeding schedules

Feeding schedules are also a popular millennial parenting trend and typically go hand-in-hand with sleep schedules. While millennial moms are more likely to stick to a strict feeding routine, the boomer generation was more likely to “go with the flow” when it came to feeding by feeding baby anytime they were hungry. Boomers are less likely to understand the popularity of baby-led weaning and push for baby to eat pureed baby food.

8. All the baby items

For boomers, their children had the basic necessities: a place to sleep and a place to eat. Maybe a playpen to keep them contained. Nowadays, giving your children all the things is a big millennial parenting trend. Millennial moms are loading up on all sorts of baby products like swings, bouncers, jumpers, playmats, walkers, etc. Raising kids in the boomer generation was simple so all these extra baby items that millennials like to own seem unnecessary and a waste of money. 

9. Everyone’s a winner

When it comes to competition, boomers stand on the fact that there’s a clear winner among all other players. If a millennial parent or coach decides that “everyone is a winner,” and all players receive a trophy or medal, that drives the boomer generation nuts. Boomers believe you earn what you earn, and not everyone gets to partake in “first place” unless they actually earned that spot. This millennial parenting trend hopes to make all players feel equal and special regardless of how they perform. 

10. Safety, safety, safety

Child safety precautions have increased over the decades. While much of the advice has been good and necessary (like car seats buckled into vehicles), some of the boomer generations think millennial parents are being too cautious. Back in the boomer’s day, the world felt safer, children were encouraged to explore, and injuries made kids tougher. Boomers tend to think millennial parenting trends are too stringent (helicopter parenting) and vouch for more free-range parenting. 

Clearly, a lot has changed over past generations, especially when it comes to parenting. millennial parents are more likely to focus on their child’s mental health than boomers did with their kids, among other parenting styles. Each generation tends to have its own set of parenting trends, so it’ll be interesting to see what Gen Z (1996-2015) will have up its sleeve!

What millennial parenting trend did we miss?