As the 2020s progress, we are now at the time where some of the eldest millennials are approaching the age that their own children might be starting families. With the turn of the century generation being aged between 26 – 41, many of the older millennials find themselves with children who are looking to be getting married. 42-year-old Michael Owen just misses the millennial cut, but with his own 19-year-old daughter Gemma starring in Love Island, it seems many of the millennial children may also be looking to fly the nest making millennials the next generation of grandparents.
Keeping this in mind, what would millennials actually look like as grandparents? This price-conscious yet environmentally ethical generation (perhaps a dichotomy there) has been known to be a stark contrast to many of the generations before them. However, they still pay for lip fillers and contour powder, tattoos and bright hair dye.With this in mind Chums decided to try and imagine what millennials might look like as future grandparents, they even mocked up two cleverly named 3D models: Chandler and Phoebe. Their predictions of the future grandparents are starkly different to the typical “grandparent image” with their models featuring cosmetic modifications such as tattoos, piercings and plastic surgeries like lip fillers, whilst also displaying the millennials’ style preferences too, like advanced tech and casual clothing.
More Blended Family Dynamics
It’s no surprise that many families have experienced divorce in their lives, and one big change we might see in the next generation of grandparents is that a change in family dynamics. Traditionally family units consist of two sets of grandparents for each unit. However, divorce has seen a rise in millennials putting marriage off, or avoiding it altogether, choosing to have children without getting married first. Whilst the parents may then choose to separate and find different partners, the family dynamic has shifted away from split families and has become more of a co-parenting dynamic than those focused solely on married families.
More Tech-Savvy
Whilst technology consistently evolves and eventually leaves older generations behind, millennials have proven to be extremely adaptable to interacting with technology. 93% of millennials owned a smartphone in a 2019 study, and 86% use social media, which is a difference from the generations prior. This adaptability to developing technology shows that the millennial grandparent will be less likely to ask their grandchild how to do something and will be more likely to be using the latest device themselves.
More Well-Travelled
Millennials are the generation who have had the luxury of being able to access the rest of the world cheaply with low-cost flights. With flight destinations more affordable than in the past, it’s easy to be able to pick a destination and fly there relatively cheaply. Even with current flight issues, plenty of airlines still offer flights at affordable prices. Ryanair is currently offering a one-way flight from Cardiff to Malaga costing just under £20, or a return flight to Krakow for only £32.
With the ability to travel the world at such little cost, many millennials are taking the opportunity to travel whether it’s a city break in Barcelona or checking out the must-see sights in Cuba. With travel, comes a better understanding of the world, a heightened sense of social consciousness and open-mindedness.
In conclusion, not only will the next generation of grandparents look vastly different to the ones previously, whether it’s neon green hair or the latest Metaverse glasses, but they will also have a vastly different mentality too. A generation that has better access to education, a generation that is tech-savvy and a generation aware of the world around them and with a strong social conscience.
*Collaborative post
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