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There\u2019s no better generation than Gen Z when it comes to sticking to their values, setting boundaries, and prioritizing their mental health.<\/p>\n But parents complicate things. You don\u2019t get to pick em, you have to share a home, and they know exactly which buttons to press. They insist on talking politics, share Facebook conspiracies as fact, and answer \u201cback in my day\u201d to everything.<\/p>\n Exploring the relationship between Gen Z and parents, EduBirdie surveyed 2,000 Gen Zers with one or both living parents on their upbringing, feelings towards family, and how those experiences have shaped their plans for parenthood.<\/p>\n For such a progressive generation, Gen Z\u2019s upbringing was pretty traditional \u2013 68% were raised by two parents under one roof.<\/p>\n Where that wasn\u2019t the case, it was usually moms doing both jobs, with 29% of Gen Z raised by a single mother.<\/p>\n Some 68% of Gen Zers say their moms are caring and supportive.<\/p>\n But often that love can be smothering, with 20% branding them critical and 17% overprotective. You never know which version you\u2019re going to get, with 21% admitting their mother can be inconsistent and unpredictable.<\/p>\n With Dad, the relationship isn\u2019t quite the same. While 45% praise their fathers for being caring and supportive, 28% describe them as emotionally distant. He\u2019s in the house, but not always in the room.<\/p>\n Some 14% of Gen Zers were verbally attacked growing up, 10% physically punished, and 28% both. Their parents might have called it tough love, but Gen Z has another name for it: abuse.<\/p>\n Parenting Gen Z is easy \u2013 just dangle a few dollars in front of their faces. Some 48% of young people admit their parents have used money to influence them. They might not like every order, but it pays to listen.<\/p>\n But as they got older, that control didn\u2019t stop at \u201ctidy your room\u201d or \u201cdo your homework.\u201d It began to influence their private lives, with 15% admitting they\u2019ve broken up with a partner to keep their parents sweet, whether due to financial dependence or just to avoid their disapproval.<\/p>\n Parents of Gen Z kids clearly didn\u2019t get everything right, and those bad memories were often canon events \u2013 25% blame their parents for their physical or mental health problems, 17% say they\u2019re the reason they struggle in relationships, and 15% claim they inherited their low motivation.<\/p>\n The oldest Gen Zers have grown up and moved out, but they still pick up the phone \u2013 55% talk to their parents daily, and 26% at least a few times a week.<\/p>\n However, whether through falling out or growing apart, 9% admit they\u2019ve stopped contacting their parents altogether.<\/p>\n There\u2019s more to being a parent than putting food on the table and keeping a roof over their heads. Kids want a hug after scraping their knees and a shoulder to cry on after their first heartbreak.<\/p>\n For the most part, Gen Z received that affection, with 85% feeling loved by their parents. However, 12% aren\u2019t so convinced.<\/p>\n Many parents have it all planned out\u2026 They want their children to become doctors and business owners, have three kids, and buy a big house next door. But for many Gen Zers, American Dream may look different<\/a>.<\/p>\n That gap in expectations is already creating tension \u2013 with 46% admitting they feel like a disappointment for the life choices they\u2019ve made, and 13% regularly facing their parents\u2019 disapproval.<\/p>\n That disappointment goes both ways. Some 22% admit they\u2019ve felt embarrassed by their parents\u2019 behavior in social settings, 13% cringe at their financial situation, and 9% give the side eye to their cultural norms and traditions.<\/p>\n Some 32% of Gen Zers hide their mental health struggles from their parents, while 24% have kept money struggles secret. Likewise, many young people cringe at the idea of disclosing bad habits such as smoking<\/a> and drinking<\/a> (23%), relationships (15%), and even their sexuality (8%) to the people who raised them.<\/p>\n Despite all the daily phone calls and family group chats, there\u2019s plenty that goes unsaid\u2026<\/p>\n Forget student loans and climate change. What 47% of Gen Zers are really stressing over is their parents’ aging, with 20% worrying how they will support them financially in old age.<\/p>\n Using their flawed childhoods as a parenting manual, 67% plan to take a different approach \u2013 19% of Gen Z parents plan to do the opposite to break the cycle, and 48% will make some changes to avoid making the same mistakes.<\/p>\n However, 12% plan to take a radical approach to parenting: staying childless entirely.<\/p>\n However, despite the occasional spanking and look of disapproval, for most of Gen Z, Mom and Dad didn\u2019t do too badly. Some 42% say they\u2019re thankful for the financial support their parents provided them, and 39% appreciate the education and opportunities they received.<\/p>\n Likewise, they also thank them for making them the people they are today \u2013 40% credit their parents with instilling discipline and ambition in them, 36% with the values they live by, and 31% for the resilience to handle life\u2019s challenges.<\/p>\n In fact, 32% of Gen Zers see one of their parents as a role model, more so than their bosses and mentors (4%) or favorite celebrities (4%).<\/p>\n Childhood may not have been all birthday parties and bedtime stories, but for the most part, our parents did their best. After all, between the arguments, guilt trips, and unsolicited life advice, they managed to raise a generation that slays.<\/p>\n There\u2019s no better generation than Gen Z when it comes to sticking to their values, setting boundaries, and prioritizing their mental health. But parents complicate things. You don\u2019t get to pick em, you have to share a home, and they know exactly which buttons to press. They insist on talking politics, share Facebook conspiracies as […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":31,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"entity":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n\n Key Takeways<\/div>\n \n \n
<\/span>Growing Up Gen Z: The People WHO Raised Them<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
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<\/p>\n<\/span>Behind Closed Doors: Was Home Always a Haven?<\/span><\/h2>\n
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<\/p>\n<\/span>It\u2019s Complicated: Gen Zers\u2019 Relationship With Their Parents<\/span><\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/edubirdie.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/2.png\")
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<\/p>\n<\/span>Cry Now, Pay Later: The Burdens Gen Z Carry and Hide<\/span><\/h2>\n
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<\/p>\n<\/span>Gen Z Parenting Style: The Young Generation\u2019s Childraising Plans<\/span><\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/edubirdie.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/13.png\")
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<\/p>\nMethodology:<\/strong> The study surveyed 2,000 Gen Z respondents aged 21\u201329 across the United States. Participants were recruited via online panels using Random Device Engagement (RDE) to ensure a diverse and representative sample. To maintain relevance to the study objectives, respondents with deceased parents were excluded from the analysis. The study did not target specific ethnicities or social backgrounds.<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"