Young Parents Raising Kids Differently From Other Generations

Young moms and dads are getting real about the things they’re doing differently than their parents regarding raising kids.

• "We won’t be pushing a traditional college track for our children (currently 4 years old and 4 months old) as hard as it was pushed on us. We want our children to follow a path that fulfills them as individuals, not necessarily the one that guaranteed success in the 1970s but now leaves people saddled with debt for their entire lives."
• "I don't spank my kid, ever. I occasionally blow up on my son like my mom did to me, but unlike her, I apologize to my son and explain to him that Mommy was just having a bad-head moment and I love him."
• "My parents' lives were so focused on making money and buying nice things. They were raised with the American dream in mind. I want to raise my kids to feel that nice things and lots of money don't equal a happy life. Happiness comes from experiences and how you treat people."
• "I want to make mental wellness a priority. I was a very anxious child, but back in the '90s, when I grew up, mental illness was never discussed and was considered almost a shameful subject."
• "I’m raising my kid to have a different relationship to food than I did."
• "I don’t place so much pressure on grades. I just ask my daughter to work hard and have pride in the quality of her work, but also remember to still make time to enjoy other parts of her life."
• "We are a sex-positive household, which my family definitely wasn’t. My children have known the correct names for their body parts since they learned to talk, and no questions are off-limits."
• "We spend a lot of time with our kids and get involved in their interests, whereas I mainly played alone as a child in my bedroom."
• "I prioritize my marriage. My parents never had date nights and rarely showed affection for each other. I want my kids to know that their parents are in love."

Source: BuzzFeed