Millennial

Dads v. Boomer Dads: Having Kids Doesnt Necessarily Mature You

In the world of marketing, the group of people getting the most attention is the
Millennial Generation those born between 1977 and 1994. Their attitudes,
opinions and behaviors have been studied and scrutinized because of the profound
impact they are having on our culture as they shape and influence trends.

With Fathers Day approaching, it is interesting to use data from the DDB Life Style
Study to compare Millennial Dads to Boomer Dads (those fathers born between
1946 and 1964) and examine how they view their roles as fathers, attitudes towards
their children, and even how they think about themselves.

There is no doubt that Millennial Dads and Boomer Dads share a great deal when it
pertains to the satisfaction they derive from being a Dad. More than 80% of
Millennial and Boomer Dads agree, Raising a child brings me a lot of happiness.
Both groups are strongly focused on their families and the memories they share,
with three quarters of them agreeing I focus on my family more than myself, and I
look for ways to create lasting memories with my family.

But there are some key differences between these two groups, suggesting that many
Millennial Dads are struggling with the challenges of fatherhood, and have not
entirely outgrown many of the characteristics of youth including naivet, defiance,
and a desire to be cared for themselves.

Millennial Dads clearly feel the pressure of their responsibilities, with 55% saying, I
feel like I am under a great deal of pressure most of the time and nearly half feeling
like people are always judging them. A surprising 20% of Millennial Dads admit to
feeling I find parenthood a real burden and 36% feel If I had to stay home with
my kids day after day I would lose my mind.

Despite their status as parents, Millennial Dads maintain a surprising degree of
innocence, with 25% of them believing the world is a safe place. They also
continue to feel that others will take responsibility for them, with 56% assuming I
know my needs will be provided for and 34% believing I can count on others to
take care of me.

Millennial Dads are not done rebelling and are more than twice as likely than
Boomer Dads to agree with statements like I have a tendency to engage in self-
destructive behavior, I like to shock others and I would find a decadent life of
sex, drugs and rock n roll appealing.

It seems clear that Millennial Dads have not entirely embraced their roles as the
adult in charge, and are struggling a bit because they dont want to lose themselves
amidst their parenting responsibilities, says Denise Delahorne, Group Strategy
Director at DDB. In fact, 55% of Millennial Dads say I think of myself as a parent

first and a husband second, and 25% of Millennials feel Ive lost my identity
because Im a Dad.

Perhaps because they have not entirely adapted to their new role as parents,
Millennial Dads still exhibit a strong desire to be the center of attention. While they
certainly cant be characterized as suffering from Peter Pan syndrome, they
definitely seek special treatment. They are significantly more likely than Boomer
Dads to agree with statements like, I think Im special and deserve to be treated
that way, are twice as likely to say On my birthday I expect to be treated like a
king and are three times as likely to say I deserve to be famous, I believe Ill be
famous one day, and I would allow TV cameras to follow me around 24/7 if it
meant Id be on a TV show.

It is also clear that Millennial Dads have not given up about their appearance, just
because they are fathers. They very clearly want to look stylish, being twice as likely
versus Boomer Dads to say: I like to dress like nobody else, and three times as
likely to say: I like to buy new clothes every season to keep up with the current
styles, and If I could take a drug to be better looking even if it might shorten my
life, I would. Oddly enough, they even want to maintain a youthful appearance,
with 31% of Millennial Dads admitting: I do everything I can to make myself look
younger.

As the country celebrates Fathers Day, the traditions that have been observed from
one generation to the next will likely be prevalent. But with this Millennial
generation of Dads, it seems clear that an old adage should be updated: Get
Married, Have Kids, Dont Settle Down.


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