11 Everyday Things Millennial Kids Were Expected To Handle On Their Own
melissamn / Shutterstock While millennials today are largely rewriting the parenting playbook to create the kind of family dynamics they want, their experiences as kids shaped the foundation they work from. Many of the everyday things millennial kids were expected to handle on their own aren’t necessarily the same responsibilities they expect their own kids to take on, but they did cultivate a sense of responsibility and innovation that are missing from youth today.
From walking or riding a bike to school by themselves to filling their time without screens, millennials had ample free time and independence, both of which they used to develop skills that would serve them well as adults.
There are 11 everyday things millennial kids were expected to handle on their own
1. Babysitting their siblings
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Babysitting their siblings is one of the everyday things millennial kids were expected to handle on their own. They were already playing outside unsupervised, and both parents were gone working for what seemed like the majority of their lives, so it’s not surprising that being expected to babysit their siblings was a given.
While the decision to allow children to babysit their siblings is nuanced and depends on the children and family in question, the opportunity can sometimes offer children a sense of vital autonomy.
2. Walking home from school by themselves
Even if today’s modern parents would be uncomfortable sending their kids home from school without adult supervision, walking home from school by themselves is one of the everyday things millennial kids were expected to handle on their own.
While too much independence, both as an adult and as a child, can be detrimental, there’s evidence that a healthy amount can be beneficial. Julia Martin Burch, PhD, and Camilo Ortiz, PhD, ABPP, state, "When kids don’t get the chance to do things on their own, they miss out on learning important life skills. Independence builds confidence. It teaches kids they can face problems and figure things out. Without that practice, they may become more anxious, not less."
3. Navigating public spaces on their own
Navigating public spaces on their own is one of the everyday things millennial kids are expected to handle on their own. Whether they were running errands on their own or walking around and managing interactions with strangers, many millennials missed out on the over-parenting of modern parents, even if only barely.
That’s how kids learn to manage their own boundaries, respect people’s space, and have simple interactions with their peers when they get older, and millennials were fortunate enough to have had practice as kids.
4. Managing their own homework
Parents who create stable routines around homework and school work are often more responsible and successful in many avenues of life, according to the Child Mind Institute. Because millennials were expected to come home and do homework, talk to their teachers about extensions, and maintain a level of responsibility for their own education, they grew into adults with accountable routines.
While kids today are often micromanaged by their parents and teachers, millennials had a small sliver of time to take care of themselves, even if it was just for a couple of hours a day.
5. Managing their own friendships
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Friendships are foundational not only to children’s social skills but also to their emotional regulation skills. When they’re hanging out with friends and resolving issues among them on their own, they become more well-rounded people.
Friendships are another of the everyday things millennial kids were expected to handle on their own, without much parental intervention. They had to plan their hangouts and sleepovers and resolve problems without needing any input from their parents.
6. Making lunches and meals
Millennials weren’t always given prepared lunches from their parents or hot-lunch money every night, but they were expected to make these meals for themselves. Even if many kids are no longer learning to cook by watching their parents, practicing on their own meals and lunches was key to building their skills.
Unlike many kids today who struggle with critical thinking, even in the kitchen, millennials had the chance to grow independent by cooking and preparing meals for themselves.
7. Doing chores without a reward
According to a study from Harvard University, making kids do chores, often without praise or pay, is one of the keys to raising successful children. It teaches them not only to take accountability for their own actions and lives, but also to regulate their emotions in the face of low levels of stress.
As adults, when they have household responsibilities and need to take accountability to cultivate a healthy lifestyle, it’s these experiences that got them to a place where they can manage things smoothly and with ease.
8. Managing small amounts of money
Whether they were saving up their allowance or holding onto their Christmas money until they had enough for something they really wanted, managing small amounts of money was one of the things millennial kids were expected to handle on their own.
Considering financial literacy and attitudes about money begin to develop as young as five years old, according to a study from the University of Michigan, millennials know that being accountable for managing their money as kids was foundational to their success as adults.
9. Sitting with disappointment
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Chronic disappointment has the ability to rewire the brain, but being able to sit with it and regulate their emotions through it is a powerful life skill that only kids who are offered space to do so develop. They weren’t immediately gratified or protected from discomfort by their parents, but allowed to linger in their feelings on their own.
Whether it was a time out, frustration with a sibling, or personal struggles with friends, managing their own disappointment was one of the everyday things millennial kids were expected to handle on their own.
10. Getting up and getting ready for school
Getting up and getting themselves ready for school was one of the everyday things millennial kids were expected to handle on their own. Their parents didn’t wake them up immediately or corral them to get ready for school. They were expected to do it themselves.
Even if it was frustrating for them as kids, millennial adults today have a routine that feels like their own. They don’t need other people to hold them to healthy habits or to ensure they’re on track. They can do it for themselves.
11. Entertaining themselves
Whether it was unsupervised play outside or random creative hobbies around the house, millennials were expected to entertain themselves and fend off boredom. In many cases, they received several benefits for doing so, because boredom is the kind of experience that teaches kids how to be self-reliant, comfortable with their own company, and emotionally regulated.
While kids today have screens and mindless entertainment to distract them from alone time or boredom, these were everyday things millennial kids were expected to handle on their own.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a senior editorial strategist with a bachelor’s degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.
