What Being a Millennial Mom Has Taught Me

Sometimes I catch myself saying, “When I was little…” and immediately laugh because I remember my parents starting many conversations off with those very words and me trying to wrap my head around what life may have looked like for them when they were little. Now I hear myself say those very words to my boys and they laugh because they too cannot imagine what life was like when their parents were little.

Motherhood has a funny way of changing your perspective. Things I never noticed as a kid are now things I think about every single day. The older my boys get, the more I realize that being a millennial mom means living between two very different worlds.

We remember renting VHS tapes from Blockbuster, burning CDs, suffering through dial-up internet but we’re raising kids who will probably never experience watching commercials, waiting for a week (or more) for pictures to be developed, or manually rolling up car windows.

And honestly? That’s made me appreciate both generations in ways I never expected.

Living Between Two Worlds

When I was growing up…

• We had portable CD players that skipped every time you moved.

• We didn’t have DoorDash or Instacart.

• My parents somehow remembered every appointment without a shared Google Calendar.

Now my boys…

• Have instant access to information.

• Think that touchscreens have always existed.

• Know that it is okay to talk about big feelings.

Sometimes I miss being disconnected from the world. But I also love that my kids have access to a digital library of their childhood.

Motherhood Changed My Perspective

Before I became a mom, I never really thought about…

• The first & last days of school

• Confirming summer camp, in the Winter

• The price of children’s sports

Now I catch myself thinking…

“I finally understand why my mom was always tired in a way that sleep couldn’t fix.”

“I never realized how much work went into planning “perfect” birthday parties until I became the one responsible for it.”

The Invisible Work of Motherhood

No one really talks about how much mental energy motherhood takes.

Every day I’m thinking about…

• School forms

• Grocery lists

• Appointments

• Play dates

• Extra curricular activities

• Routines

And somehow we’re expected to remember all of it.

I used to think I’d relax after the children went to bed.

Now I know that’s when the marathon really begins; racing thoughts, endless To Do Lists, and everything in between.

The Things We’re Doing Differently

One thing I appreciate about our generation is that we’re willing to learn.

We’re learning about…

• ADHD

• Mental health

• Emotional regulation

• Nervous system resets

• Communication styles

I’ve learned that being a good mom doesn’t mean never losing my patience.

It means when I do, I apologize and vow to do better.

One of the biggest lessons motherhood has taught me is that your children will hold a mirror to you multiple times over; it’s the most humbling experience.

The Things I Appreciate About My Own Mom

Now that I have my own kids…

I finally understand why my mom worried about everything.

I finally understand why she made sure we always ate our veggies (even if it was just a bite or two).

I finally understand why she always said, “You’ll understand one day if/when you have kids of your own.”

As kids, we rarely see everything happening behind the scenes.

Now I do.

My Favorite Part of Being a Millennial Mom

Even though motherhood is exhausting, one of my favorite things about raising kids today is seeing the world through their eyes.

I hope my boys grow up remembering…

• They were loved, always, especially on the hard days.

• Everything I did was for them.

• They were my North Star.

I hope they know that every decision I made, every sacrifice, every late night, every early morning, every worry, every prayer, and every dream had one thing in common: them.

I won't get everything right. No parent does. But if there's one thing I hope they never question, it's how deeply they were loved.

They have always been—and will always be—my North Star.

Being a millennial mom isn’t about getting everything right. It’s about taking the best parts of how we were raised, leaving behind what no longer serves us, and building something even healthier for the next generation.

I’m learning alongside my boys every single day.

Some days are messy. Some days are magical. Most days are both.

And honestly… I wouldn’t trade this season of life for anything.

*****

I’d love to hear from you in the comments. What’s one thing motherhood has made you appreciate about your own parents?