90s kid summer trend ditches tech in favor of retro fun heres why it wont work for all parents
Millennial parents are throwing it back.After the recent resurgence of iconic nineties trends jelly shoes, chunky highlights and flip phones, the “’90s kid summer” parenting trend reeks of turn-of-the-century nostalgia.Yet, proponents behind it say they’re not just harking back to their childhoods — they’re sick of their screen-addicted kids.Just before summer vacations across the country began, millennial parents took to TikTok en masse to reminisce on their own school-free months.
In the comments of TikTok posts like this video by @_natenorman, nostalgic nineties kids recalled the days spent outside from dawn to dusk, biking alone to community pools, the unsupervised neighborhood playtime, and above all, the lack of communication from parents who simply wanted a few hours of peace and quiet.“My summer memories all involve pools, sports, and exploring the woods.Creeks, birdwatching, riding bikes with the neighborhood kids and my siblings,” read one reply.
“The attic fan on at night is all I remember of indoors.”Many parents online claim that they’re giving their kids a ’90s summer to promote positive development like independence and creativity.And according to experts, they’re not wrong to do so.
The American Psychological Association says that unstructured play can help children progress in important body and muscle growth, socializing, decision-making skills, conflict management, and empathy, among other areas.However, a ’90s summer is simply not feasible for some, and growing pressure from online parenting communities is leading to undue stress and guilt.Kristin Gallant, a parenting expert who posts child-rearing and mom life content on Instagram as @biglittlefeelings, was among the anxious millennials.
“If it works for your family, great,” says Gallant in the video.“Working parents, we’re stressed out when we see this.
We need to send our kids to camp or have some child care” so the unplanned routine doesn’t work qu...