Parenting Across Generations: A Comparative Analysis of Millennial and Generation Z Parenting Practices in Shaping Discipline among Young Children
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33394/jp.v13i4.21380Keywords:
Parenting Patterns, Millennial Parents, Generation Z Parents, Child Discipline, Early ChildhoodAbstract
This study aims to compare the parenting practices of Millennial and Generation Z parents in shaping discipline among young children and to identify similarities and differences in the strategies they employ in everyday parenting. The study employed a qualitative comparative approach involving eight families with children aged 3–4 years in Bekasi, Indonesia. Participants were selected through purposive sampling based on parental generation, children’s age, and parents’ active involvement in daily caregiving. The researcher served as the primary research instrument, with data collected through semi-structured interviews, observations, and documentation. The data were analyzed using the interactive model of data analysis, comprising data condensation, data display, and conclusion drawing and verification. The findings indicate that Millennial parents tend to foster children’s discipline through structured routines, consistent rules, positive reinforcement, and parental modeling. In contrast, Generation Z parents tend to emphasize dialogical communication, flexible rule implementation, and emotional validation when guiding children’s behavior. Despite these differences, both generations share a common commitment to fostering children’s discipline through active parental involvement. The study also identified digital technology use and inconsistencies among multiple caregivers as major challenges to maintaining children’s discipline. Conceptually, the findings contribute to the understanding of discipline formation by demonstrating that supportive parenting practices may integrate structured routines with communication-based guidance. Practically, the findings provide implications for parents, educators, and family education programs in developing balanced discipline strategies that combine consistency, emotional support, and collaborative regulation of children’s digital media use.
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