Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X & Boomers Have Very Different Ideas Of What Grandparents Should Do
sirtravelalot / ShutterstockGrandparents play a vital role in families, but what that role is exactly has certainly changed a great deal in the last century or so.
Now that people are living longer and longer lives, more of us than ever before have the opportunity to experience multi-decade relationships with our grandparents. As we also stay healthier and stronger for longer, the things Gen Z and millennials now believe grandparents should do often vary a great deal from what Gen X or baby boomers expect.
Gen Z, millennials, Gen X, and boomers all have different ideas of what grandparents should do.
For many boomers, being a grandparent means being involved. They want to babysit whenever needed and make sure their grandchildren never leave their house hungry. They see helping out as just a part of being family.
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They likely have a more traditional idea of how grandparents should be. Boomers enjoy passing down traditions and offering advice based on everything they've learned over the years. Sometimes, that advice still comes whether anyone asked for it or not.
At the same time, this generation sees grandparenthood as a chance to have fun without the added pressures of being the parent. They get to spoil the kids a little, sneak them an extra dessert, then send them home. That's a big part of the magic of being a grandparent.
Gen X doesn't want grandparenting to become their entire identity.
Like boomers, Gen X grandparents want to be involved, but they also don't want to be constantly available. They're happy to help with grandkids while still focusing on their own lives, routines, hobbies, and plans.
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Gen Xers might take a more hands-off approach when it comes to their kids' parenting decisions. They understand that their now-adult children get to make the rules in their own households. They can have opinions without turning it into a whole family debate to prove they're right.
While they want to have a genuinely good time with their grandchildren, they focus less on doing everything right. Creating positive memories often matters more to them than being perfect.
Millennials think grandparents should provide a specific type of family support.
Rather than automatically stepping into the common grandparent role, millennials might see the importance of building a relationship with grandchildren that feels personal and emotionally connected. They're more concerned with being the type of person that kids can talk to and laugh with.
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They also believe grandparents should be more conscious of respecting the parents' boundaries. Millennials see every reason to honor those rules instead of challenging them because they believe being older doesn't always mean having the final say.
When they become grandparents, they also want to stay young at heart. They may want to try new activities with their grandkids and keep up with their interests. It's about building something that feels uniquely theirs.
Gen Z has abandoned traditional ideas of grandparenting.
Though many members of this generation have yet to become grandparents or even parents themselves, they're more likely to think the role of grandparents can take different forms instead of being a fixed list of responsibilities. Grandparenting could include being emotionally supportive to both parents and kids, staying connected through technology, or simply showing up in whatever ways feel right.
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As for the grandchild-grandparent relationship, Gen Z prefers to keep things casual. They think grandparenting should look like playing video games, sharing playlists, and happily joining in on whatever new hobby the kids are obsessed with.
Kayla Asbach is a writer with a bachelor's degree from the University of Central Florida. She covers relationships, psychology, self-help, pop culture, and human interest topics.
