Children raised by 'zoomers' (Millennials and Generation Z) prioritize health and personal growth, integrating technology and selfishness positively. What principles are they imparting to their kids?

Children raised by 'zoomers' (Millennials and Generation Z) prioritize health and personal growth, integrating technology and selfishness positively. What principles are they imparting to their kids?

In a notable shift from traditional parenting styles, Generation Z parents are embracing a concept known as "healthy egoism," which places a strong emphasis on setting personal boundaries, self-care, and prioritizing mental and emotional well-being.

This approach, according to Maya Dovgal, a graduate of the philosophy faculty of Tomsk State University, encourages parents and children to recognize that taking care of oneself is not selfish but essential for sustainable kindness and goodness.

Unlike traditional parenting—especially in societies where being a "good person" meant self-sacrifice and always putting others first—healthy egoism promotes a balanced approach where one's self-respect and well-being underpin healthy relationships and parenting.

Key differences between healthy egoism in Gen Z parenting and traditional parenting include:

• View of boundaries: Boundaries are healthy, necessary, and a form of self-respect in Gen Z parenting, opposed to being seen as disrespectful or selfish in traditional parenting.
• Self-care: Viewed as strength and priority for well-being in Gen Z parenting, whereas it was treated as secondary to family needs in traditional parenting.
• Sacrifice: Balanced with self-care in Gen Z parenting, allowing one to be good while saying "no," as opposed to valuing and expecting self-sacrifice as a sign of goodness in traditional parenting.
• Emotional expression: Encouraged to express feelings thoughtfully and protect emotional space in Gen Z parenting, in contrast to suppressing personal needs to avoid conflict in traditional parenting.
• Parent-child dynamics: More open, with negotiation and mutual respect including space and emotional needs in Gen Z parenting, compared to the hierarchical dynamics with obedience emphasized in traditional parenting.

This shift is partly a response to prior generations, such as Gen X and Boomers, whose parenting styles are often critiqued by Gen Z for neglecting mental health and promoting self-sacrifice at the cost of personal well-being.

Maya's research, which focused on identifying new trends in child rearing among young parents, involved in-depth interviews with 16 young women and men who have at least one child aged one year or older. Her work on the TSU website describes that Zoomers tend to delay marriage and childbirth but usually approach these decisions responsibly.

Generation Z views parenthood as a multifaceted project that requires both emotional and financial investment. Some participants in the study noted that they would not object if their son wanted to engage in activities like dancing, or if their daughter wanted to participate in typically "masculine" sports.

Maya Dovgal, who plans to continue her research in this field and intends to become a mother in the future, also mentioned that in some cases, only the mother is responsible for child-rearing, maintaining negative models of parental duty distribution. However, she emphasizes that Generation Z does not place great importance on gender norms and are more likely to support their child's interests regardless of gender.

In contrast to previous generations, who often replicated the behaviors established in their families due to a lack of information and materials on child rearing, Generation Z has many sources from which to draw examples and do not wish to repeat the "mistakes" of their parents. They accompany raising their voice and being upset with explanations of why the behavior was wrong and what the consequences could be.

In summary, healthy egoism promotes a balanced approach where one's self-respect and well-being underpin healthy relationships and parenting, differing from traditional models that idealized self-sacrifice and limiting boundaries.

1. Healthy egoism in Gen Z parenting encourages self-care as a strength and priority for well-being, contrasting traditional parenting where self-care was treated as secondary to family needs.
2. In Gen Z parenting, boundaries are seen as a form of self-respect, opposed to being viewed as disrespectful or selfish in traditional parenting.
3. Generation Z views parenthood as a multifaceted project that requires both emotional and financial investment, with some participants in the study indicating openness to supporting their child's interests regardless of gender.
4. Unlike previous generations, Generation Z seeks to learn from various sources and avoid repeating the mistakes of their parents, choosing instead to communicate effectively when raising their voice or being upset.

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