{"id":294,"date":"2025-09-04T16:24:00","date_gmt":"2025-09-04T16:24:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/good-worldwide.go-vip.net\/upworthy\/2025\/09\/04\/gen-x-parents-discuss-the-major-millennial-parenting-difference-of-giving-kids-constant-stimulation\/"},"modified":"2025-09-04T16:24:00","modified_gmt":"2025-09-04T16:24:00","slug":"gen-x-parents-discuss-the-major-millennial-parenting-difference-of-giving-kids-constant-stimulation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/goodinc.com\/qa-upworthy\/2025\/09\/04\/gen-x-parents-discuss-the-major-millennial-parenting-difference-of-giving-kids-constant-stimulation\/","title":{"rendered":"Gen X parents who &#8216;roamed free&#8217; as kids challenge Millennial parents&#8217; &#8216;constant stimulation&#8217;"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.upworthy.com\/parents-on-tiktok-embrae-type-c-parenting-style\" target=\"_blank\">Parenting styles<\/a> are always changing from generation to generation. And <a href=\"https:\/\/www.upworthy.com\/gen-x-explained-in-three-words-ex1\" target=\"_blank\">Gen Xers<\/a> are taking note about how vastly different their parents&#8217; (from the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.upworthy.com\/gen-xers-are-comparing-themselves-to-the-silent-generation-ex1\" target=\"_blank\">Silent Generation<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.upworthy.com\/boomers-got-these-things-right-ex1\" target=\"_blank\">Baby Boomers<\/a>) style of parenting differs from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.good.is\/4-generations-4viewpoints-of-respect\" target=\"_blank\">Millennials<\/a>. <\/p><p>One Gen Xer <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/GenX\/comments\/1l9yc9y\/parents_always_doing_things_with_kids\/\" target=\"_blank\">shared<\/a>, &#8220;Something I\u2019ve noticed the last 10 years or so is how much parents are constantly &#8216;doing&#8217; something with their kids all summer. I have a few friends that are much younger and have children of all ages. It seems like everyday they are going to the zoo, going to the park, going to a museum, waterpark, taking them horseback riding etc. It never stops.&#8221;<\/p><p>After explaining the observation, they continued, &#8220;I just remember being a kid and playing outside all summer and maybe doing 1-2 things all summer. Do kids really need this much constant stimulation? Please correct me if I\u2019m wrong. It just seems like A LOT.&#8221;<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-tiktok wp-block-embed-tiktok\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"tiktok-embed\" cite=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@nostalgicjunkies1\/video\/7504711986018585898\" data-video-id=\"7504711986018585898\" data-embed-from=\"oembed\" style=\"max-width:605px; min-width:325px;\"> <section> <a target=\"_blank\" title=\"@nostalgicjunkies1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@nostalgicjunkies1?refer=embed\">@nostalgicjunkies1<\/a> <p>80s parents gave us freedom. We played till sunset, rode bikes, and explored the world without a care. They trusted us, letting us grow with our own experiences. ?\ufe0f? <a title=\"80snostalgia\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/80snostalgia?refer=embed\">#80sNostalgia<\/a> <a title=\"freedom\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/freedom?refer=embed\">#Freedom<\/a> <a title=\"parenting\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/parenting?refer=embed\">#Parenting<\/a> <a title=\"childhoodmemories\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/childhoodmemories?refer=embed\">#ChildhoodMemories<\/a> <a title=\"90skids\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/90skids?refer=embed\">#90sKids<\/a> <a title=\"80sparents\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/80sparents?refer=embed\">#80sParents<\/a> <a title=\"nostalgia\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/nostalgia?refer=embed\">#Nostalgia<\/a> <a title=\"parentingwin\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/parentingwin?refer=embed\">#ParentingWin<\/a> ! <a title=\"nostalgia\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/nostalgia?refer=embed\">#nostalgia<\/a> <a title=\"childhood\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/childhood?refer=embed\">#childhood<\/a> <a title=\"80sparents\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/80sparents?refer=embed\">#80sparents<\/a> <a title=\"millenial\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/millenial?refer=embed\">#millenial<\/a> <a title=\"childhoodmemories\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/childhoodmemories?refer=embed\">#childhoodmemories<\/a> <a title=\"80sbaby\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/80sbaby?refer=embed\">#80sbaby<\/a> <a title=\"teenager\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/teenager?refer=embed\">#teenager<\/a> <a title=\"throwback\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/throwback?refer=embed\">#throwback<\/a> <a title=\"millennialsoftiktok\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/millennialsoftiktok?refer=embed\">#millennialsoftiktok<\/a> <a title=\"80snostalgia\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/80snostalgia?refer=embed\">#80snostalgia<\/a> <a title=\"nostalgiacore\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/nostalgiacore?refer=embed\">#nostalgiacore<\/a> <a title=\"usa\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/usa?refer=embed\">#usa<\/a>   <a title=\"fyp\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/fyp?refer=embed\">#fyp<\/a> <a title=\"foryoupage\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/foryoupage?refer=embed\">#foryoupage<\/a> <a title=\"trending\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/trending?refer=embed\">#trending<\/a> <\/p> <a target=\"_blank\" title=\"\u266c original sound - Nostalgic Junkies -\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/music\/original-sound-Nostalgic-Junkies-0?refer=embed\">\u266c original sound &#8211; Nostalgic Junkies &#8211; <\/a> <\/section> <\/blockquote> <script async src=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/embed.js\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n<p>Many Gen Xers agreed, and explained the value in giving their kids space growing up. &#8220;My kids are older now, but when they were young, I tried to do a combo of unstructured time and fun activities in the summers. We&#8217;d have a few days of unstructured time in a row, then hit a museum or water park or something to break it up. I think they both have value,&#8221; one wrote. <\/p><p>And another Gen Xer added, &#8220;It\u2019s not an all or nothing thing. Being around your kids 24\/7 so they get smothered and never learn to make their own decisions is bad but our parents basically ignoring us all the time was just as bad. There\u2019s a pretty large happy medium where you hang out with your kids sometimes while in other times you leave them to their own devices.&#8221;<\/p><p>The post garnered further reaction, and healthy debate. Other Gen Xers disagreed, noting their parents could have been more involved with them growing up. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-tiktok wp-block-embed-tiktok\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"tiktok-embed\" cite=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@b.u.p.c\/video\/7524365142109244685\" data-video-id=\"7524365142109244685\" data-embed-from=\"oembed\" style=\"max-width:605px; min-width:325px;\"> <section> <a target=\"_blank\" title=\"@b.u.p.c\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@b.u.p.c?refer=embed\">@b.u.p.c<\/a> <p>Replying to @duanemclendon still raising kids at my age. <a title=\"genx\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/genx?refer=embed\">#genx<\/a> <\/p> <a target=\"_blank\" title=\"\u266c original sound - Boopsy\u274c\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/music\/original-sound-7524365339161824014?refer=embed\">\u266c original sound &#8211; Boopsy\u274c<\/a> <\/section> <\/blockquote> <script async src=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/embed.js\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n                    <p>One Gen Xer explained how their parents&#8217; hands-off style influenced theirs to be completely different. &#8220;We were also just kinda generally neglected. Like, I was <em>in<\/em> Little League in the summer, but I had to ride my BMX bike like 45 minutes to get to practice, and I for sure had to make lunch for myself before I left home. I suspect that part of what\u2019s going on now is a reaction to that,&#8221; they wrote.<\/p><p>Some Millennials also shared that they intentionally don&#8217;t overstimulate their kids. &#8220;This has not at all been my parenting style. To take it even further, I feel doing so is ultimately a disservice to the kids, no matter how well intended. Too many children have become dependent on constant outside stimulation,&#8221; one wrote. &#8220;Too many kids are too damn busy. Learning to amuse yourself is a life skill, and parents ought to be encouraging it. Let them just <em>be<\/em> once in awhile, especially on their Summer break.&#8221;<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-tiktok wp-block-embed-tiktok\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"tiktok-embed\" cite=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@mrjackskipper\/video\/7513531542929444118\" data-video-id=\"7513531542929444118\" data-embed-from=\"oembed\" style=\"max-width:605px; min-width:325px;\"> <section> <a target=\"_blank\" title=\"@mrjackskipper\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@mrjackskipper?refer=embed\">@mrjackskipper<\/a> <p>Am I right? <a title=\"relatable\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/relatable?refer=embed\">#relatable<\/a> <a title=\"parenting\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/parenting?refer=embed\">#parenting<\/a> <a title=\"90s\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/90s?refer=embed\">#90s<\/a> <\/p> <a target=\"_blank\" title=\"\u266c original sound - Jack Skipper\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/music\/original-sound-7513531533404277527?refer=embed\">\u266c original sound &#8211; Jack Skipper<\/a> <\/section> <\/blockquote> <script async src=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/embed.js\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n<p>However, other Millennials defended their <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/Millennials\/comments\/1n2816t\/are_millennial_parents_more_involved_or_it_is\/\" target=\"_blank\">more &#8216;involved&#8217;<\/a> parenting style proudly. &#8220;I read that on average working mothers today <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pewresearch.org\/social-trends\/2013\/03\/14\/chapter-4-how-mothers-and-fathers-spend-their-time\/\" target=\"_blank\">spend more direct time with their children<\/a> than stay-at-home mothers did in the 1970s. That was pretty telling to me. ETA: My point being that parents in our generation in general probably spend more time with children,&#8221; one shared. And another added, &#8220;My father once bragged to me he had never changed a diaper. It was not the flex he thought it was.&#8221;<\/p><p>One Millennial parent summarized their parenting style succinctly: &#8220;I think it&#8217;s because Millennial parents see their kids as human beings and not just something they had to make and raise cause society told them to.&#8221;<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p> &#8220;Parents are constantly &#8216;doing&#8217; something with their kids.&#8221;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":188207,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"alternative_headline":"","alternative_description":"","alternative_featured_image":0,"rkv_announcement":{"visible":true},"apple_news_api_created_at":"","apple_news_api_id":"","apple_news_api_modified_at":"","apple_news_api_revision":"","apple_news_api_share_url":"","apple_news_cover_media_provider":"image","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_cover_video_id":0,"apple_news_cover_video_url":"","apple_news_cover_embedwebvideo_url":"","apple_news_is_hidden":"","apple_news_is_paid":"","apple_news_is_preview":"","apple_news_is_sponsored":"","apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_metadata":"\"\"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_slug":"","apple_news_sections":[],"apple_news_suppress_video_url":false,"apple_news_use_image_component":false,"partner_boost":false,"hide_partner_badge":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[208,382],"tags":[920,921,922,923,358,924,925,926,307,711,312,328,927,928,929,930],"sponsor":[],"rkv-people-shadow":[238],"class_list":["post-294","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-family","category-modern-families","tag-00s-parenting","tag-80s-parenting","tag-90s-parenting","tag-constant-stimulation","tag-gen-x","tag-gen-x-kids","tag-gen-x-parents","tag-gen-x-vs-millennials","tag-generational-differences","tag-millennial-parents","tag-millennials","tag-parenting","tag-parenting-differences","tag-parenting-style","tag-parenting-styles","tag-roam-freely"],"edit_link":null,"apple_news_notices":[],"rkv_author":{"id":238,"name":"Mandy Coles","display_name":"Mandy Coles","first_name":"","last_name":"","nickname":"","url":"https:\/\/goodinc.com\/qa-upworthy\/author\/mandy-coles\/","link":"https:\/\/goodinc.com\/qa-upworthy\/author\/mandy-coles\/","description":"Mandy Coles is a Clinical Associate Professor of Pediatrics and co-director of the Child and Adolescent Trans\/Gender Center for Health at Boston University.","slug":"mandy-coles","avatar_urls":[],"email":false},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.1 (Yoast SEO v27.1.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Gen X parents who &#039;roamed free&#039; 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