Millennial Mom, Dad Nail Gentle Parenting Daily Struggles: 'The Accuracy'

Parenting seems to be one of the most talked about topics on social media, so it's no surprise that a video about gentle parenting has gone viral.

Rini Frey and her husband recently shared their daily struggles as millennial parents on TikTok. So far, the video, posted on January 6 by @ownitbabe, has racked up over 272,000 views and 18,600 likes.

The clip shows the parents with two children pushing a pram during a walk. Following a trend on social media videos, they say, "We are millennial parents," which is followed by saying something that might be considered obvious for those born between 1981 and 1996 and now raising babies.

Gentle parenting is an approach to raising children that prioritizes empathy, respect and understanding in interactions between parents (or caregivers) and children. It is based on the belief that children thrive best in an environment that is nurturing, supportive and free from harsh discipline or punishment.

"One of the most meaningful qualities of gentle parenting is its emphasis on reflection. Reflecting on the compassion with which you treat your child is at the heart of this approach," according to Guidepost Montessori, a network of Montessori schools.

This certainly rings true for the couple in the TikTok video, who seem to be speaking from their own experiences.

The footage shows the couple taking turns to give examples of millennial parenting. They can be heard saying the following:

• "We over-document everything. I took 103 photos of my kids eating breakfast this morning."
• "We're learning to control our emotions alongside our kids 'cause we were always taught to suppress them."
• "We have online parenting groups that we can go to [and] ask for questions, and the answers only make me cry, like, 70 percent of the time."
• "We're terrified of screwing up our kids."
• "We second-guess every single parenting decision we make."
• "We're confident that we are better at parenting than every other generation."
• "We gentle parent, until we don't."

The video has received over 130 comments, and it looks like many other parents agree. One user said: "The accuracy."

"I love that we all agree that we ATTEMPT to gentle parent," said another.

A third commenter said: "We're millennial parents and WE'RE BREAKING THE CYCLE."

Earlier this month, Newsweek spoke to a clinical psychologist to find out if parents today are raising a generation of entitled children or simply learning the lessons of their childhoods.

Newsweek also drew on an exclusive parenting poll done by Redfield & Wilton Strategies. The results found the majority of people aged 43 and over believe children are more badly behaved than in previous generations. Two-thirds of baby boomers and 57 percent of Gen X members said the behavior has worsened. Almost three-quarters of boomers and Gen X members—71 percent—suggested that parents being too gentle with their kids is to blame.

Meanwhile, more than a third of Gen Zers—35 percent—wouldn't tell their children to stop running around a restaurant or other indoor venue, 38 percent would let their children watch videos without headphones in public, and a third would not tell their children to stop kicking the seat in front of them on public transportation, the poll of 1,500 eligible U.S. voters found.

The results also showed that 10 percent of millennials wouldn't tell their children to stop running around in a restaurant.

Newsweek reached out to @ownitbabe for comment via TikTok

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