Popular parenting trends emerging in 2021

Bringing up a child in the 21^st century has its own sets of pros and cons and every year, parenting trends change.

Raising children has become increasingly demanding in this modern age – especially with the constant juggle between work and family priorities. Yet, research shows that parents are becoming more conscious, savvy, and invested in their children’s lives than ever before.

While there’s never a “one-size-fits-all” approach to parenting, certain trends and behaviours are becoming more prevalent across the globe and are here to stay for the foreseeable future.

Here are some parenting trends that have emerged worldwide…

Sparking your child’s entrepreneurial spirit

In many countries, DIY projects are taking centre stage. In Brazil, for instance, parents are teaching their children how to make things from scratch as this aims to instil an entrepreneurial spirit.

Caring for the planet

This is becoming more evident across the globe as adults look for sustainable ways to save the environment, reduce waste and limit greenhouse gas emissions. To limit the impact of climate change, parents are having to teach their children, from a young age, how to plant more trees, clean up the oceans and shorelines, and support animal rights.

Additionally, plant-based eating and flexitarianism (where people don’t cut out entire food groups, but try to limit meat and dairy products, and eat more plants), are two of the biggest household trends in 2020. This means that more children will be encouraged to eat healthier meals, i.e. no more hotdogs!

Practicing self-care

With depression, stress, and anxiety on the rise, experts are encouraging parents to practice more self-care and take time out from the daily grind. In the US, bath time is a hot topic as more people are using a warm bath to relax and unwind, adding bath salts, essential oils, candles, and calming music to the mix.

Pocket-friendly birthday parties

While some parents still pull out all the stops when it comes to their children’s birthday parties, many are opting for smaller parties with a lower price tag.

Johannesburg-based bespoke kids’ party planner and well-known mom blogger, Megan Kate Ras says more and more people are moving away from elaborate soirees. Instead, they’re having home-based, scaled-down celebrations with those nearest and dearest, including a few balloons, a cake of sorts and that’s it.

Trends are also leaning towards celebrating only milestone birthdays or having a party every second year – much easier on the pocket in this current economy!