Born in 1997 and thus one of the oldest Gen Z parents, Breana is a CNA at a nursing home in Hartsville, SC. She is the mother of a one-year-old daughter. She recently spoke with Capita’s CEO Joe Waters about the future she wants for her daughter. This is the second in a series of conversations with Gen Z parents. Read more of our analysis on what to expect as Gen Z starts to parent.
Joe Waters: So what do you want for your child as she grows up?
Breana: As she grows up, I want my child to be secure with her feelings and to talk to me about anything and to feel comfortable enough to come to me whenever she has problems. Because nowadays not a lot of kids talk to their parents. I notice a lot of kids in school who don’t have anyone to talk to. And when I was growing up, it was hard for me to talk to my mom about simple things, or things that teenagers feel awkward talking about. So, at that age, I hope she’s secure and comfortable enough with me to come and talk to me.
What kind of person do you hope she is when she grows up?
I hope she’s a loving and outgoing person. I hope that she uses her abilities to her best. I know she’s going to have a very strong personality, but I hope she uses it to help people.
I think she’ll do well at school. Anything she sets her mind to do, she tries to do it. So I know she’s going to be very determined in what she does.
Who is helping you to raise her to be that kind of person?
My mom and my grandparents.
How do they help you? What do they do to help you raise her to be that person you want her to be?
They help teach her manners. They help show her things that I can’t show her–that I don’t know yet. They help watch her for me when I go to work. When she’s sick, they’re always there to take care of her. I know I can always count on them.
What do you expect from schools in your community as you raise your child?
In terms of school, just picking up on things that I wouldn’t notice. Like if she’s having trouble seeing. She might need glasses or have trouble reading. Just pinpointing little things that make a difference when they’re learning in class.
You send your daughter to child care. What kind of child care is it? Do you like sending her there?
Yes, I do, because it’s run by one of my church members that I’ve grown up with. So I know her pretty well and I trust her, and I feel pretty good taking my daughter to that daycare. And I can tell she enjoys it. It’s a bunch of older kids and a girl who is a little younger. Every time I drop her off, they’re saying her name and are happy to see her. I know she enjoys having them there.
How do you feel about your future?
I see myself going back to school and starting to be more secure and finding my own place to stay, finding a good school and making sure that we’re set for the future.
Are all of those things that you mentioned realistic or do you have anxiety about them?
I’m more hopeful because I’ve found a better job. I’ll be paid more, so I’ll be able to work towards that a lot quicker than I’ve been doing.
Are you more hopeful or less hopeful about your daughter’s future and your own future than you were a year ago?
I think I’m kind of in the middle about that because I think people are being more understanding of what’s really happening, but also I’m not sure if anything is going to change or what it would take for things to actually change. So I can only hope that I can teach her the best way I can when she goes out into the world, so she can protect herself and be smart about what she’s doing.
What do you mean when you say people are seeing what’s happening now, maybe more than they were a year ago?
I think people are realizing that a lot of people have passed away from COVID. And a lot of police brutality has been shown. With people having to sit at home because of the pandemic, they’ve seen what’s really happening when they’re not out in the world.
Where do you get information about parenting?
I have this app called What to Expect. And that teaches me a lot about her development and what different stages she’s going through and has a lot of questions and topics I can look at if something’s wrong. So mostly I learn from my mom and those baby apps.
And where do you get your news about what’s going on in the world? How do you connect with your friends and maybe other moms?
I mostly use Twitter. And my coworkers or friends–a couple of friends that are moms as well.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Our thanks to Darlington County First Steps for their help in elevating the voices of Gen Z parents as the next generation begins their parenting journeys.