What Millennial Parents Talked About in 2017

From shocking content on YouTube Kids to racial microaggressions to alternative schooling, a look back on this year’s hot topics

Published in

Winnie

5 min readDec 20, 2017

Before we ring in 2018, we wanted to take some time to reflect on some of the parenting zeitgeist of the past year. You shared the good, the bad, the funny, the head-scratching and the heartbreaking with us on Winnie. This supportive online community of parents has helped each other through parenting moments big and small. So without further ado, we present to you the ten most popular topics with parents in 2017.

📺 The dangers of YouTube Kids

As millennials become parents, we’re turning more and more to technology to be a solution to different parenting problems. Looking for advice? There’s Winnie. Need to find a babysitter? There’s an app for that. But not all technology is created equal. We learned this year about some of the horrifying and bizarre content our kids have been watching on the YouTube Kids app and we all realized that while technology can be a force for good, we also need to make sure we’re paying close attention to how our children are using it.

💸 Ways to make extra cash as a parent

We had our minds on the money, money on our minds this year! Parents asked a ton of questions about saving money and making money on Winnie, but this thread on making extra cash as a stay-at-home parent really struck a chord with parents all over the country. It turns out many parents love a good side hustle and had creative ways they’re making an extra buck or two on the side. Give it a thorough read and you might get some good money-making tips going into 2018.

💔 What it’s like to be a parent who faces racism

We had many awful reminders this year that race still plays a major role in how people are treated in America. Sometimes the racial prejudice and hatred is on full display like it was in Charlottesville back in August and other times it’s microaggressions parents endure on a daily basis. This post is a powerful reminder of just how far we still have to come.

⚠️ Protecting your children in an active shooter situation

The 2017 Las Vegas shooting was a tragedy that touched so many of us this year, and made us all hug our children a little tighter. It also got parents talking about how to best keep their kids safe god forbid they ever find themselves in such a situation. Although it can be upsetting to think about, it’s worth noting that a little preparation can mean the difference between life and death in a tragedy.

💏 Getting your sex drive back after kids

Soooo many of you were interested in learning the secrets to getting your mojo back after kids and so many of you have been there done that and had words of wisdom to share. Hopefully by reading this you know it’s totally normal to have a dry spell after kids but it won’t last forever. And if you’re looking to rev up your sex drive in 2018, this is definitely the post for you.

😨 Whether to trust your instincts in a sticky daycare situation

Sometimes as parents we aren’t sure whether or not to trust our instincts. In many cases our instincts are what keep us and our children safe from danger, but sometimes we may feel like we’re overreacting or getting too many mixed signals. In this post, a parent shared a concerning daycare situation she encountered and parents chimed in with so much support and encouragement to help back up what she was feeling inside. That’s what Winnie is all about folks.

😢 Losing your sense of self after becoming a parent

Becoming a parent is a huge life change and even the most prepared among us can find ourselves wholly unprepared for this new life stage. Even though you gain this beautiful new baby when you become a parent, you may feel like you’ve lost a part of yourself. You’re not alone in these feelings and there are ways to combat them. Sometimes even just hearing from other parents that this is a phase and it’s temporary can help you cope.

👵 Handling pressure from grandparents

Parents dealing with their own parents and their in-laws comes up a lot on Winnie. Setting the right boundaries is tricky and what is right for one family may not be right for the next. This post was from a mom who felt both her parents and her in-laws were a little too involved in her life. Parents chimed in with some smart suggestions on how to find the right balance, without hurting anyone’s feelings.

👩‍💼 Balancing career-making and baby-making

In the majority of millennial parent households all the adults work, at least part-time. This wasn’t true for previous generations! As a result, work-life balance is a huge topic of discussion on Winnie. But it turns out Winnie wasn’t just used by parents this year. One young woman in her twenties was looking ahead and was curious to hear from parents whether she should focus on her career or have a baby… or whether she even has to choose at all. Parents offered some great perspectives on what happened with their careers post-baby and many even felt like having kids helped them advance.

✈️ Ideas for parents who travel for work

Speaking of work, more and more parents have to travel for work and whether you’re concerned about pumping breastmilk or childcare, there are a lot of logistics to figure out. In addition to logistics, parents also want to find ways to stay close to their kids when they’re far away. This creative idea was one of our most shared posts of 2017. One dad posted the adorable way he stays in touch with her daughter when traveling for work and parents went wild. It’s amazing how such a simple idea can make all the difference for a young child. One grandma even chimed in that it would work as a way for her to stay in touch with her grandchildren.

🍎 Alternative schooling methods

Homeschooling was a big trend this year, with more parents either taking the leap or considering whether it’s right for their kids. Some parents are even starting with preschool as a way to test the waters with homeschooling. Others are turning to the internet and technology with cyber schooling becoming more popular. And don’t think for a second that homeschooling is just for moms — dads are getting in on the action too!

Thanks for being a part of making Winnie great in 2017! Winnie is the companion app for modern parents. Whether you want to find new things to do with your kids, ask for advice, or just get to the nearest changing table in a hurry, we can help.