There are plenty of differences in the ways that millennials are having kids in general, as compared to past generations.
This inevitably means that playtime will likely be very different from what we’ve known before.
From the way that technology and attitudes have shifted in the world of parenting, millennials have so many brand new ideas all around them.
Of course, every family and parent is unique, and there are plenty of nuances to the improvement and shifts that have been made, there is a shift taking place.
Here are some of the ways millennial moms are improving playtime.
1. More Autonomy
There’s been an entire conversation happening recently around raising children with more autonomy.
No matter how old your child is, there’s something to be said for encouraging them to make their own choices and vocalize their own values, even when it comes to things like playing.
Millennial moms know this better than anybody else, and have definitely encouraged the trend of allowing more autonomy in play time and throughout other areas a parenting.
2. Encouraging Creativity
The millennial generation of parents has been the most creative yet in so many ways.
Specifically, millennial moms have been fantastic about encouraging their kids to explore creative sides of themselves, often beginning in the world of play.
This can involve things like arts and crafts, dance, music, and anything else that a child might want to explore through play.
This can even help kids explore some of their interests and find hobbies that they enjoy in the future.
3. Getting More Involved
One of the ways that millennial moms have revolutionized play time is by getting more involved with the play itself.
Even though there are still plenty of parents that don’t get involved in playtime, so many more millennial parents have found themselves actively taking a consistent role in the social interactions, hobbies, and interests of their kids.
This can be great not only for the kids, but for the parents as well, which is likely a reason that this trend is bound to continue into the future.
4. The Tech Debate
One of the ways that millennial parents might not always see eye to eye with one another is the debate on technology and devices, specifically as they apply to playtime.
Children growing up now have more access to technology than any generation prior, and this can often lead to parents either actively resisting technology or actively encouraging it.
Although the debate is still very fresh, simply engaging with the discourse around weather tech is good for kids has been a trend of millennial parenting.
Some kids nowadays are on social media from a very young age, while others are barred from technology until high school and even beyond.
Really, it’s about the family and parent preference when it comes to this issue.
5. Freer Schedules
One common trend that has definitely taken place in the past few years is the move towards slightly freer schedules for children.
Especially when the millennial generation was growing up, one extremely common parenting tactic was encouraging a variety of extracurricular activities, especially during middle and high school.
However, it didn’t take long for many people to realize that overloading a child’s schedule might not be the best for their development.
In recent years, parents have definitely been more wary of adding additional activities into the schedule every week.
6. Having Kids Later
One extremely common trend with millennials and parenting in general is the decision to have kids much later in life.
This might not have a direct impact on playtime, but it absolutely can have lingering effects.
Although each household and family is different, this can often result in parents having more free time and more space for the kids to play.
Although this isn’t true of every millennial parent, it is an overall trend that many parents have followed.
7. Dad Time
One of the largest shifts that millennial parenting has brought actually has more to do with millennial dads than millennial moms.
Specifically, kids are spending more time with their dads than ever before.
Although historically the mom has always been the default primary parent, fathers are taking a much more active role in their child’s lives, which definitely comes into play when recreational activities are concerned.
This can result in more family time as a unit, but also more solitary time with dad specifically.
Millennial Moms Improving Playtime
There are so many ways that this generation of parents are raising their children differently, and playtime is one of the places that you can see that trend shifting the most.
From encouraging autonomy and their children to spending more time as a full family unit with dad, there are so many ways that millennial moms are revolutionizing playtime.
Have you noticed a change in parenting through the generations?