While doing my informal mini research on Gen Y, I started to think ahead about the next generation. I realized that there are no mysteries left in Gen Y, everything had been figured out. Unlike Y, the DIGITAL NATIVES – Gen Z were born completely within the technology booms. What would their world be like? Or more importantly, what kind of parenting will they experience?
They are still quite young, yet to be figured out and strategically can be suave. We are predicting the future which is non-existence, here. Thinking way ahead of how our children would be like.
That’s strategic thinking. If you’re an analyst like me, you will be called ‘FUTURISTS’.
That’s the final level of intelligence evolution of an analyst. World class futurists were able to integrate key processes of sophisticated intelligence with a high degree of future orientation.
(In case you are wondering, I am currently an analyst at the beginning of the intelligence evolution cycle. We are called, ‘FIRE-FIGHTERS’. Mainly, we conduct intelligence activities on an ad-hoc basis with little coordination, few resources and no identified scope and processes). J
Ok, back to laymen terms.
Born between 2001 and 2021, the youngest are just being born a few minutes ago and the oldest would probably be 9 year olds. They are the progeny of younger Gen X and older Gen Y.
Wow, how long has it been since I started writing about generations?
Some Y-ers have grown up and having families, some of them are uncles and aunties, some are big brothers while the rest are just being good-old-ordinary kid sharing funny video on facebook. Boomers have become grandparents and should be less opinionated by now, which make X-ers so happy. They finally get to be in charge!!
Darn.
Oh. Just to make sure, I hope you are aware that my writings are not exactly research proven. These are all theories and possibilities.
Now, getting to the good part. Just like X with Boomers, X and Y also have their differences.
X-ers are ever famous for their “extreme parenting” gestures, spending more time with their kids than any generation in history. They nag to their kids about how they should spend more time doing beneficial things rather than sit in front of a ‘box’ every day. And they shove vegetables into the mouth of their children. X-ers are the kind of parents that produced over-achievers, spending tons of money and time dragging their kids to various extra classes.
First, because they want their children to get an early exposure in order to maximize their abilities.
Second, because they want their children to fit in and doesn’t get picked on at school for being the less capable.
Y-ers on the other hand prefer not to parent as much. They believe that what their children need is greater tolerance for diversity and individuality. They will educate on logics, honors and values but at the same time wanted them to have freedom to grow up and think for themselves. Their kid will eat vegetables when they realize that it’s healthy.
Y-ers are famous for naming their offspring eccentrically than common classic names. If not the names, try look at the spelling. You’ll see the difference. Uncommon names make people feel different and encourage them to think of themselves as a unique independent individual. You see how generations unconsciously educating their children and shaping their minds?
I still haven’t come across how Y-ers would go about their kids’ EARLY-PRE education. Notice the redundancy? Maybe because there are currently very minimal Y-ers with 4 to 9 year olds. They still handling babies and toddlers.
However, one should be reminded that compared to X-ers who cares what other people think and often give in when pressured (that’s the reason they never win over Boomers), Y-ers have always stick to what they believe in, despite what society says.
If they think, spending money and time to give extra pre-education is not necessary they won’t spend a dime on it. It does not mean their children will be less smart then X-ers. They have their own way of doing things, they always do.
Using NEURO-ENHANCERS maybe? :p
Then again, parenting is very subjective. Many other factors should be considered. Religion could be a huge factor in parenting. In this case, just consider it to be CETERIS PERIBUS.
Like what I mention in The Revelation of Y, Gen Z could have an X-ers parent, a Y-ers or both (meaning one of each). Once again, they will also experience this overlapping effect making them less distinctive to any preceding generations. Not only parents, society members like friends, classmates and teachers will affect their mind-setting which further assimilate the parenting factor of X and Y.
Anyway,
From what I can see, for generation that lives on facebook, parenting has increasingly become public not so much of a private experience. They share parenting tips and instructional video with strangers they don’t know on Youtube, and that is actually a good thing.
Even as parents, that’s how they get to know ‘anything under the sun’ about parenting – ONLINE. They get info of more than one way to do things and will always choose the best way they see fit.
That could be innovation in parenting right there. Although I’m not yet a parents, it’s a great fun to track trends and try to figure out what the future holds.
I’ll stop here since my fingers are tired.
I have one final entry to go that will elaborate more on the Gen Z themselves, saving the best for last.
Good night. Cheers.
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