Millennial parents are saying “no” to raising the next Jeff Bezos
As a parent, it’s only natural to imagine the amazing adventures that await your child.
With no luggage or paths yet to be taken, they have so many options to choose from.
And since so many exciting career paths are out of the question once you reach adulthood without choosing that path, it’s hard not to dream big for your offspring: maybe they’ll become an athlete, or an astronaut, or the founder of an AI company , which does not exist yet.
But instead of dreaming of their child becoming the next Jeff Bezos or Oprah Winfrey, parents today think happiness is more important, according to a new study.
As millennials slip into the shoes of mom and dad, Beano Brain, the insights consultancy from London-based Beano Studios, has documented the generational shift in parenting ethos when it comes to raising their children.
In a year-long study based on more than 200 hours of face-to-face interviews and a survey of 2,000 parents – all published in the whitepaper Raise Gen Alpha—researcher found that 81% of millennials think it is more important for their children to be happy than to be “successful”.
In fact, the army of 27-40 year old parents are sacrificing their own careers to raise happy kids.
Happiness as a career goal
Research says that millennials mostly experienced “helicopter parenting” growing up — essentially parents hovering over them, trying to control and perfect aspects of their lives.
As parents, Millennials are now consciously rejecting the classic career ladder expectations that are often placed on children.
Instead, millennial parents are prioritizing their children’s happiness, in part by pushing back traditional views of education and celebrating individuality.
According to the study, 87% of millennial parents encourage their children to stand up for what they believe in and 83% encourage their child’s individuality, while 57% agree school is not preparing their children to be citizens of the future.
The report also adds that the focus on well-being – which has been valued higher than a good education – has come to the fore in both the UK and US in the wake of the pandemic
“Previously undervalued occupations such as supermarket workers and waste workers gained massive notoriety and respect, forcing the world to recognize their invaluable contribution to society and to reevaluate their views on education, careers and the importance of happiness and health,” the report says.
This explains why more and more parents are putting less pressure on their children to get a bachelor’s degree, with just 12% of millennial parents saying they want their child to attend college. This compares to 38% of the UK 18 year old population currently studying.
As a result, the report predicts that Generation A children (those born after 2010) will grow up and find a job that allows them to explore their passions as a primary source of income or juggle a traditional money-making role with a passionate side hustle.
“Finding and maintaining a healthy work-life balance is not only wanted, it’s sought after, and perhaps even expected, by Generation A adults,” the report adds.
Education: The most important job
For 87% of millennial parents surveyed, parenting is their most important responsibility, and they take that role as seriously as, and sometimes instead of, their next big career move.
According to the report, “Millennial parents are raising professional parents like no other generation before them.”
Parents today plan their careers around having children to build the ideal nest, including waiting until they are financially stable.
Over a third of millennial parents actively planned and researched when would be best to have children, often waiting until they were financially stable, achieved their career goals and were married.
In comparison, only a quarter of Generation X parents thought similarly. This statistic rises to 40% for Gen Z, showing that younger generations are more planning than ever to incorporate parenthood into their lives.
This mentality may explain why they are then happier to relax in their careers and fully devote themselves to parenting.
Being emotionally present is more important than ever, as 77% of millennial parents prefer spending time with their kids to their careers — and parents in the US don’t feel like they’re getting enough family time.
When asked if they would like to spend more time with their children, 47% of American respondents strongly agreed, compared to 39% of Britons.
Gender inequality
To focus more on spending time with and raising their children, millennial mothers are more likely than fathers (59% vs. 49%) to put their careers on hold or devote less attention to work.
And while millennial fathers want to be more present than previous generations, the reality is not.
According to the report, half of the millennial fathers surveyed say they pay less attention to work compared to 37% of Gen X fathers, but they are no more likely than Gen X fathers to actually spend time with their Putting children before their careers physically.
“Instead, it is the most educated and successful generation of women who choose to step down the career ladder and make the adjustments and sacrifices necessary to focus on raising happy children by being present and available at all times is,” the report warns.
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