Society is ever changing and part of that is how people raise their children. For example, millennial dads are spending 3 times as much time with their children as in previous generations. The act has had a seemingly beneficial effect and isn’t the only parenting method that’s changed over the years.
Millennial Dads are More Involved
According to research from 2017, millennial dads are more involved in their kids’ lives than ever before. In earlier years, such as the 1960s, dads went to work and came home to do their own thing. They may have retreated to a man cave, put their feet up in the living room with a cold drink, or gone to a buddy’s house to play poker. Either way, it was primarily the woman’s role to raise children. However, a few things have changed.
Millennial Dads are Overcoming Gender Role Stereotypes
Firstly, women went into the workforce, balancing the gender roles in a way that encourages couples to work together to run the home. Although it still took several years to make these strides, millennial dads are challenging gender role stereotypes more than ever before.
Advantageous Relationships
Secondly, millennial dads realize that spending time with their kids benefits both parties, offering security, a deeper bond, and higher self-esteem in their children.
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Millennial Dads are Working from Home
Thirdly, more jobs can be done remotely and since the Pandemic, remote work has become one of the most popular job opportunities available. Rather, the number of reported remote jobs has doubled since 2019. Therefore, millennial dads are in the home more often and can step in to help with parenting more easily.
Millennial Dads Do More Playing
Next, over half of millennial dads view parenting as a key component in their identity and prefer to be present for things like extracurricular activities and everyday tasks like bathing or helping with homework.
More Hours Per Week
Meanwhile, the same study reflected that millennial dads are spending around 8 hours a week on average with their children. Whereas, fathers were spending about 2 and a half hours with their kids in the 1960s.
Sharing the Load
Additionally, millennial dads want equality with their partners, particularly when it comes to parenting, according to Motherly. Essentially, millennial dads are more interested in being with their families and creating a partnership with their spouses than in previous generations.
How the Time Benfits Kids
However, perhaps the most significant reason for this change in parenting has to do with how beneficial it is for the children. According to the National Library of Medicine children who spent more time with their fathers had less behavioral problems, they did better in school, and had higher levels of self-esteem and confidence, while facing lower rates of depression or anxiety.
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Quality over Quantity
Their research covered a range of ages and scenarios in which a father may not be living in the same home. The results reflected that children of single mothers received the same benefits such as a sense of security or deeper connection to their father, when they spent quality time together consistently.
Creating Happier Environments
Although millennial dads are revolutionizing parenthood, spending more time with their children isn’t the only parenting trend that has changed over the decade. Rather, here are some other examples of the way parents are trying to end generational trauma, create happier and more nurturing environments, and build healthier relationships with each other and their kids.
Approaching Discipline Differently
Millennial dads and moms are approaching discipline differently, reinforcing positive behaviors and creating space for kids to learn from their mistakes.
Togetherness isn’t only reserved for Meals
Families often gather together at dinner time to spend quality time together and share with each other about their day. However, beyond that, children once got very little from their fathers during the week. In contrast, millennial dads and moms are spending more quality time with their kids, prioritizing favorite activities or pastimes, rather than fixating on the importance of always being home in time for dinner. While parents today are busier, many are compensating for that by reading an extra story at bedtime or picking their kids up a little early from school for a treat once in a while.
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A Crucial Time for Development
Lastly, according to Kindercare millennial dads and moms have a greater understanding of how tiny human brains function and a different take on the early years, which are “crucial” for healthy development. “Today’s parents continue to make sacrifices for their children, despite the belief that parental sacrifice is in decline,” explains Dr.Kathleen Gerson. “Even amid new economic uncertainties, most parents are doing their best to give their children whatever they need to grow up and find a stable future in an increasingly unpredictable world.”
Overall, millennial dads and moms are making massive changes to the way they parent and it’s having a hugely positive impact. Meanwhile, parents are working harder to achieve a better work-life balance.