Average parent calls their own parent for guidance this often

Just 59% of parents follow their mom and dad’s advice about parenting, according to new research.

A survey of 4,000 American and Canadian parents and grandparents of kids 0-7 found that this is because some parents find their parents’ advice to sometimes be dated (34%) and they also have different ideas about how to raise their child (41%).

Seven in 10 admit that today, they have different ideas about raising their child than their parents have (71%).

Still, the average parent calls their own parent twice a week for guidance, and one in eight call them most days of the week.

Commissioned by Johnson’s® Baby and conducted by OnePoll for National Caregivers Month, the survey found that most parents of young kids shared that their parents’ words are valuable, with 83% saying they’ve learned a lot about raising kids from them.

And 73% of parents believe they operate at a happy medium, following their parents’ advice while also raising their children the way they want to.

Parents can agree that they have different priorities now than what their parents might have had when raising them, especially when it comes to taking an interest in baby skin care (35%), managing screen time (50%) and knowing how to bathe their child (32%).

On the other hand, bath time routines have stayed the same: 54% of parents bathe their child at least once a day, in line with 51% of grandparents who bathed their child just as often.

Most grandparents would also agree that parenting priorities have shifted since they raised their child (69%) — so much so, that nearly half of these respondents need some time to get used to these differences (48%).

Change can be good, though, as grandparents surveyed said that they wish they had some of the resources available now when they were raising their own children like hybrid work schedules (39%), more after-school activities for their kids (34%) and access to telehealth or other online health resources (34%).

Grandparents surveyed admitted they’d manage things for their grandchild differently than how their child does, especially when it comes to screen time (38%) and knowing how to soothe them (26%).

This isn’t the only point of contention when it comes to routines; 25% of parents say a baby needs silence to sleep, while just 16% of grandparents agree.

Parents of young children are also more likely to believe that newborn babies should stay indoors (18%) compared to just 10% of grandparents.

Similarly, 17% of parents bathe their child more than once a day, while only 4% of grandparents recall doing this when their child was that age.

“Washing with more than water is an important routine to cleanse babies’ skin effectively,” said Devon Slauenwhite, senior brand manager at Johnson’s Baby.

“Water as a cleanser doesn't remove the fat-soluble impurities left behind under diapers and clothes, and if they remain, they can cause the delicate skin barrier* to break down.

Repeated use of water only has been shown to cause moisture loss from skin cells, which can leave baby skin irritated or red. A gentle cleanser designed for baby is recommended to leave your baby’s skin clean and feeling healthy.”

No matter their differences, many parents appreciate all they’ve learned from their parents and are carrying over routines from their childhood like family dinners (52%), reading their child a story before bed (41%) and certain bath time activities they used to do (32%).

Parents also wish their child’s grandparents were more involved in different steps like their education (29%), babysitting (29%) and playtime (29%).

While grandparents surveyed recall being most involved in babysitting (54%), playtime (52%) and shopping for their grandchild’s clothing (39%), many want to care for their grandchild more by teaching them (35%) and being able to read them a bedtime story (34%).

There may be a place for grandparents at bedtime, as the standard bedtime routine for young kids and consists of reading them a story before bed (50%), tucking them in (44%) and bathing them before bed (42%).

Although the average grandparent spends two days a week with their grandchild, 83% of those who don’t see them every day want to visit them more often.

Overall, 69% of all respondents agree there’s no one right way to raise kids.

Three-quarters of parents agree that although they may disagree with their parents’ advice, they know they have their grandchild’s best interest at heart, and even more grandparents said the same about their child (84%).

"It's clear that bed bath and bedtime rituals are critical, as many parents and grandparents have shared the same routines across generations,” Slauenwhite said. “To keep these routines going, they need to be supported and able to trust the products they use.

With the launch of the Together We Raise Routine Report, we hope to honor the relationship between parents and grandparents and celebrate the togetherness that goes into raising their children. While parenting styles and rituals may differ, we are unified by the common goal of raising the next generation of healthy and happy babies.”

*The skin barrier is the upper layer of the skin that acts as a vital barrier to outside irritants, bacteria, and allergens, helping protect the body from disease. Babies' skin barrier is uniquely different from adults’ and is still developing, so it needs special care.

Survey methodology:
This random double-opt-in survey of 4,000 parents and grandparents of kids 0-7 from the US and Canada was commissioned by Johnson’s Baby between October 4 and October 11, 2023. It was conducted by market research company OnePoll, whose team members are members of the Market Research Society and have corporate membership to the American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR) and the European Society for Opinion and Marketing Research (ESOMAR).