Parenting Today Looks Nothing Like the Past — And Parents Know It

Raising kids today is radically different from how current parents were raised. Our national study of 1,000 U.S. parents reveals deep cultural, emotional, and technological shifts that are rewriting the rules of modern parenting.

From household structure and discipline styles to technology, outdoor play, and family traditions — parents are navigating a new landscape, often with uncertainty and guilt.

First, we confirm the parent audience that the findings are based on.

This establishes the base population for the study and ensures results reflect parenting experiences for children ages 2–17.

The New Family Structure: Intergenerational Patterns That Repeat

Today’s families are diverse, complex, and largely reflective of how parents themselves were raised.

• 44% of children live in two-parent households
• 38% grow up in single-parent households
• 17% live across multiple homes through co-parenting

The striking insight: Family structure is inherited.

Here is the household type parents are raising their children in.

This snapshot helps contextualize the everyday structure that shapes routines, responsibilities, and support systems.

• 81% of parents raised by a single parent are now raising their own kids the same way.
• 80% from two-parent homes repeat that structure.
• 58% from multi-home families maintain co-parenting dynamics.

And here is how those same parents describe the household structure they grew up in.

Comparing these two charts shows how strongly family models pass through generations.

Family models pass through generations — far more than we thought.

The Shift In Parenting Styles: Empathy Is The New Normal

Parenting has undergone its largest transformation in decades.

How today’s parents were raised:

• 34% Authoritative
• 28% Gentle
• 20% Authoritarian
• 13% Permissive
• 6% Uninvolved

Here is the parenting style parents say they experienced growing up.

This provides the baseline for understanding how dramatically parenting norms have shifted.

How they parent now:

• 38% Gentle (up from 28%)
• 36% Authoritative
• 10% Authoritarian (cut in HALF from how parents were raised)
• Permissive steady at 13%
• Uninvolved dropped to 3%

And here is how parents describe their current parenting style today.

The change is clear: less control, more communication, and a broad cultural move away from “because I said so.”

Parents are clearly saying: Less fear. More empathy. Less control. More communication. A cultural move away from “because I said so” is reshaping American childhood.

The Pressures Of Modern Parenting: A Generation In Conflict

45% of parents feel pressured to raise their kids differently than their own parents did — and the pressure is coming from all sides.

Here is how many parents say they feel pressure to parent differently than they were raised.

This tension shows up as uncertainty, guilt, and constant comparison in day-to-day parenting decisions.

Top influences on today’s parenting choices:

• Their own childhood (44%)
• Social media (29%)
• Concern about child emotional impact (27%)
• Mental health & child development research (25%)
• Family/friend advice (24%)

Here are the top influences shaping parenting approaches today (select up to 2).

Parents are balancing tradition, science, and online advice, often feeling like there is no single “right” way.

Parents are torn between tradition, science, and online advice — creating a constant sense of “never doing enough.”

Outdoor Play: Less Freedom, More Fear

Kids today spend just 30–60 minutes outdoors on a typical day. 4 in 10 parents believe their kids get far less outdoor time than they did.

On an average day, here is how much time children spend playing outdoors.

This shows how limited outdoor time has become for many families, even on “normal” weekdays.

And here is how parents compare their kids’ outdoor play to their own childhood.

This generational comparison captures the emotional reality many parents feel: childhood has changed.

Top reasons:

• Safety concerns (traffic, crime)
• Busy schedules
• Reliance on indoor entertainment

Here is what parents say prevents their children from playing outside more often.

These barriers help explain why outdoor play is declining, even when parents value it.

When kids do get outside, they mainly:

• Run/jump/play (62%)
• Ride bikes or scooters (47%)
• Play organized sports (44%)
• Explore nature (36%)

Here are the outdoor activities kids do today.

It highlights the mix of free play, movement, and more structured outdoor time.

And here are the same activities parents say they did when they were children.

Together, these charts show which types of childhood outdoor play are being carried forward, and which are fading.

Independence is shifting: Parents were allowed out alone at age 9. Today, kids get outdoor independence closer to age 10. One year may seem small — but culturally, it's huge.

Here is whether children are allowed to play outside unsupervised.

This is one of the clearest signals of modern parenting fear and safety tradeoffs.

At what age were parents first allowed to play or ride a bike outside unsupervised?

This provides the baseline for independence milestones in the previous generation.

At what age would parents be comfortable allowing their child(ren) to do the same?

Even a one-year shift reflects a meaningful cultural change in how childhood freedom is defined.

Family Traditions: What’s Ending, What’s Returning & What’s New

Parents are consciously reshaping family rituals.

Traditions that continue:

• Eating dinner together (47%)
• Family vacations (46%)
• TV/movies as a family (50%)
• Outdoor family activities (40%)

Here are the activities parents did with their own parents growing up.

This shows the bonding rituals many parents experienced in childhood.

And here are the activities parents do with their children today.

Comparing the two reveals which rituals remain central and which ones are being replaced.

Traditions falling away:

• Religious services (30%)
• Family chores (22%)
• Cooking/baking together (22%)
• Watching TV together (21%)
• Board games (21%)

New rituals rising:

• Family “highs and lows” check-ins (44%)
• Bedtime stories & reading rituals (40%)
• Weekly family nights (38%)
• Watching TV together (21%)
• Cooking together as bonding time (37%)

How often do parents do different activities with their children?

Frequency highlights what is a daily or weekly ritual versus something that happens only occasionally.

Which activities are continuing across generations, and which are new or disappearing?

This is the clearest intergenerational comparison of family rituals: what stayed, what changed, and what is fading.

Families are choosing emotional connection over obligation.

Technology: The Biggest Parenting Lifeline — And Guilt Trigger

Technology is now a foundational parenting tool — and parents feel both grateful and guilty about it.

How parents use tech to manage daily life:

• 69% use devices to occupy kids during work/rest
• 67% use tech to calm kids during emotional moments
• 60% use devices to explain concepts they feel unprepared for
• 56% rely on tech for distraction during errands or meals

In the past month, here are the ways parents have used technology as parenting support.

This chart captures how screens and digital tools have become part of modern parenting routines.

And here is what parents say technology has helped their child learn or understand.

It reveals where parents perceive real educational or developmental benefit from digital tools.

But 1 in 3 parents feels conflicted about screen reliance.

Do parents feel conflicted about how much they rely on technology for parenting support?

This reflects the emotional tradeoff many parents feel between support and overreliance.

Looking ahead

Nearly 40% of parents say they would be open to AI-powered tools for:

• Tutoring
• Emotional coaching
• Developmental tracking

Would parents be open to using AI-powered tools for parenting support?

This suggests the next major shift in family life: AI-supported parenting.

This suggests the next major shift in family life: AI-supported parenting.