6 Parenting Trends to Embrace in 2023

In 2022, the world was still reeling from a pandemic. The rising cost of living also made everyone’s lives a little more difficult. Many political and environmental changes also happened all over the world, leading to a ripple effect that could be felt at every corner of the globe. 

Despite all these changes, our lives have slowly been getting back to normal after lockdowns and being stuck at home for months at a time. As parents, this means you and your kids are slowly coming to terms with the impact of the pandemic on your interpersonal interactions and your day-to-day lives. 

The good news is that things can only get better in 2023. You can make it even better by utilizing new parenting practices, most of which are easy to adopt and practice. Getting rid of some of your bad habits and parenting practices will also go a long way in helping you become a better parent to your kids. 

Here are 6 parenting trends that you should consider embracing in 2023. 

  1. Opening up about past trauma

2020-2022 was all about coming to terms with our mental health issues. In 2023, since we are now talking to family, friends, and relatives and understanding the value they have in our lives, it is time to strengthen our support systems. For kids, this means helping them navigate the loneliness and depression that the pandemic brought. Encourage your kids to start rebuilding their friendships and communities. At the same time, encourage them to take advantage of the support systems that they did not previously have access to due to lockdowns. Parenting in 2023 is all about fortifying our and our kids’ mental health and getting everyone the help they need and deserve. 

  1. Embrace Tik Tok

For a lot of parents, TikTok has been a breath of fresh air in the social media space. Instead of the perfectly polished representations of people’s lives that we have become so used to seeing on other social media platforms, TikTok is ordinary and simple. It is a place where parents can go to see videos from people like them. There have also been videos from underrepresented communities and parents that use the platform to talk about their challenges, such as having a miscarriage or raising a child with disabilities. This is content that is not only difficult to find on other platforms but also when you find it, is often exaggerated and curated to cater to trends. This makes TikTok a great resource for parents to find other like-minded people going through similar challenges and find solutions to these issues together. 

  1. Value Experience Over Things

This year, more and more parents are putting more value on experiences over things. Children have little sense of the value of money or material possessions. They also value experiences more than possessions. It, therefore, makes more sense to gift them experiences that they will remember instead of buying pricey stuff for them that they will forget about within a few days. As a bonus, when you gift your child an experience, she will always remember you and the memories you helped her create through your thoughtful gift. 

  1. Gender Neutrality

Another interesting parenting trend that will take 2023 by storm is a more gender-neutral attitude. Pink for girls and blue for boys are slowly becoming outdated. Boys can cry and girls can play sports and that’s OK. Parents need to stop putting their kids in boxes. When you adopt a gender-neutral attitude, you open your child up to more opportunities in life. She will also appreciate getting more freedom of choice, expression, and opinion. This will turn your child into an overall better and well-rounded person. 

  1. Listen Better

Children are curious by nature. They are inquisitive, and it is not surprising for them to ask you endless questions or share their ideas and opinions with you. Sometimes, these questions can get exhausting. Similarly, indeed, your child sharing her banal experiences with you can quickly become a boring prospect. However, as a parent, it is imperative to make time for your child and make her feel heard. Not listening to your child can make her feel ignored, which can hurt her self-esteem as she grows. Worse, it can affect your relationship with each other in a major way. 

  1. A Renewed Focus on Personal Engagement

The past couple of years has been filled with seeking solace from devices and technology just to keep our sanity. Being cooped up in the house with your child probably forced you to turn to screens just to get your child off your back for a little while so you can have some time to yourself. Well, in 2023, this is going to change as we see more moms and dads choosing to build experiences and stronger connections with each other and with their children. Focus on personal engagement instead of virtual relationships and offer quality time and support to your children. This is a simple parenting trend that’s easy to adopt but will have lasting effects on your child's development. 

Final Thoughts

So there you have it; our list of some of the most interesting parenting trends to embrace in 2023. As you can see, this year is all about being more present as a parent. Mental health issues are also just as important as they were in 2022. Help your kids seek and find support by reassuring them that you are present and available to talk and listen to them whenever they need you to.

At the same time, opt to renew your focus on personal engagement. Interact with your children more by reducing the amount of time you spend on your devices as a family. Finally, value experiences over things because children will remember them more than they will expensive toys. Happy New Year!