What Do You Think Of These 9 New Parenting Trends?

Giddyup partner, because cowboy and girl names are the trendy name choices for babies right now. You might start seeing more Wyatts, Jesses and Dakotas in the nursery. These names work for both boys and girls, with girls' names already trending on the more masculine side.

Celebrate the little things. Instead of hyping just milestones, like birthdays and graduations, fete the inchstones, too. The term has been used by parents of medically complex children for a while, but is making the mainstream with little celebrations for everyday things. Did your kid lose their first tooth? Throw a party. Did they learn how to tie their shoes? This calls for a special cake because who wants to wait for birthdays? This trend shows parents it’s OK to value mundane moments, especially when your kid has worked hard to get there.

Raise your hand if you hate changing diapers! What if you could have kids but never change another diaper? Elimination communication, where your infant uses the toilet instead of a diaper, has been growing in popularity for the past decade but has really taken hold as of late. With it, parents watch for cues that a baby has to go and hold them over the potty. Parents make a verbal noise (like a hiss) when the baby pees in the potty. The baby learns to associate the sound with bathroom time and soon, the baby learns to hold it until they are on the potty. Many parents in countries without access to disposable diapers use this method with success, but some pediatricians caution parents to understand the amount of work involved before embarking on the journey.

With gentle parenting, parents put aside traditional discipline like time-outs and use empathy, respect and understanding to set boundaries. For example, if your toddler were to spill a drink, instead of making them sit in the corner, you would stay calm and show them how to clean the mess up. Champions of gentle parenting say it helps kids develop emotionally, feel secure and maintain good self-esteem. Detractors say the approach is too soft and gentle parenting lacks structure. The great thing about it is that you can decide for yourself which approach works best for your family and do a mix of gentler and more traditional disciplines, tailoring your reaction to the situation.

With sharenting, parents are mindful about how they document their parenting journey online. It’s hard not to scream from the rooftops when your kid pees on the potty for the first time (see “inchstones”) but when your kid goes to school, do you want all of their classmates to also know that info? With sharenting, it’s OK to share your highs and lows, but also be mindful of the digital footprint you are creating for your kids. If you wouldn’t shout it in the town square, maybe don’t post it online?

Don’t want anyone holding your newborn without permission? It’s OK to say so. You can also request visitors wash their hands, ensure their whooping cough vaccination is up to date or request no visitors for the first few days. Gen Z moms have been stronger in communicating and enforcing their boundaries where their kids are concerned. Do what you think best and know it’s your baby and your rules — period.

We love this idea! Instead of a baby shower that feels half like a cash grab and the other half useless (who needs a dozen hand-knit sweaters and bootie sets?), have a nesting party. At these festivities, a small group of family and friends come over to help you ready your space for the new baby. They can help you wash clothes, clean out closets, wash bottles, meal prep or whatever is on your to-do list. Put out some light refreshments and let your loved one help with your list. They feel useful and you’ll feel relieved.

Grandma and Grandpa are fine nicknames but with baby names getting so unique, why not get creative with grandparents too? Some grandparents-to be think the traditional “Grammy” or “Pappy” sounds too old, so they want a nickname that is specific to them. Ideas include using the word for grandparent from your culture, using a name derived from your first name (like “Mimi” for Margaret or “Bibi” for Barbara) or waiting to see what their first grandchild babbles.

Take a cue from Mindy Kaling, who just dropped the news that her third baby was born four months ago! People are hard launching babies instead of issuing pregnancy announcements. If you're not into posting your growing bump and would rather drop the bomb after the fact, consider the hard launch. For some, this is a social media tactic. For others, they may decide to hard launch to their long-distance family with a surprise face time. Whatever you choose, there are no rules — just what works for you.