How social media is helping millennial parents
MILLENNIALS ARE known for valuing and seeking the advice of their peers; when it comes to parenting, there is no exception to this. The truth is, there is no manual that could ever capture the nuances involved in being a parent, nor should there ever be. Successful parenting hinges on trial and error, and some prayer in the mix. Your grandparents, your own parents, they all relied on the wisdom of others, whether via storytelling passed from generation to generation or self-help books.
The luxury millennials have is that everything is now at their fingertips, courtesy of the Internet and its by-product, social media. Today, 71 per cent of millennials value the advice and insights they receive from parenting blogs, parenting websites, podcasts and social networks. In fact, more than 90 per cent of parents found the use of online sources to be very helpful in guiding them down the path of parenting.
Whether to ask questions, watch a ‘how to’, or communicate with a doctor online around the clock, millennial parents are making use of their connectivity – what is this rash? How do I get my toddler to sleep through the night? My teen won’t speak to me? If you’re uncertain, go ahead, log on, someone has been there before; and they have posted about it.
Millennial parents can be as public or as private as they choose. Some millennial parents are comfortable with
disclosure and will go to great lengths to share details, as they seek solutions or just to help others navigate. Expect photos, Instagram stories and/or lengthy captions or step-by-step guidelines to how they handled a variety of situations. For those millennial parents who value anonymity, a handle unrelated to their actual identity is used in their pursuit for help, as they comment, like and share their own insights.
IT TAKES A VILLAGE
Parenting experts are also now turning more and more to this form of medium as a way to meet their audience in the virtual world. Paediatricians, psychologists, special educators, and several schools now have an online presence on several social network- ing sites, a sign of the times. Millennial parents can seek advice, not just from their peers, but professionals on a variety of topics related to child development, thereby expanding their base of support.
Bottom line, for as far as we have come, the adage of ‘it takes a village’ still reigns true; whether it be for validation, to air frustrations or for emotional support, millennials now have that village in the palm of their hands. It is available via podcast, YouTube, a parenting app or a mommy/daddy group on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and the like.
While social media has benefited many a parent in a quandary, operating in the open space of the World Wide Web comes with risks. Information disseminated may not be supported by research, it may not be one-size-fits-all, sharing of personal information becomes available to the general public, children can become embarrassed by what Mommy and Daddy have shared about them, and the list goes on.
Never forget that due diligence is necessary, feel free to seek professional opinions and never compromise the safety of yourself or that of your child.
And finally, in case you are wondering; if you were born between 1981 and 1996, congrats, you’re a millennial!
*Supplemental information sourced via Pew Research Institute.