Ogilvy Malaysia’s Future of Parenting Report: Malaysian parents are raising kids with AI, WhatsApp, and a new type of ‘the village’

Malaysian parenting today looks nothing like it did a decade ago. For example, they are bringing back ‘the village’, albeit with a twist, relying on a hybrid of extended family and technology to help them raise their children with 68 percent of Gen Z parents relying on family for childcare and 69 per cent turning to AI-powered tools to raise their kids. These are just some of the findings revealed in Ogilvy Malaysia’s Future of Parenting Report, a study into how Gen Z and Millennial parents are reshaping what it means to raise the next generation.

The report also found that co-parenting WhatsApp groups have surged by 75 per cent since 2022, allowing young parents to embrace co-op babysitting, community playgroups, and childcare swaps, building modern support networks where help is just a message away.

Future of Parenting is a deep dive into how today’s Malaysian families are quietly reshaping what it means to raise children in a connected and fast-evolving world. As parents, Gen Zs and millennials are turning conventional parenting norms practiced by Gen X and the previous generations on its head, while also bringing back the traditional values of yesteryears. These included blending spirituality with YouTube algorithms, finding family time at midnight, and choosing emotional presence over rigid discipline.

One interesting trend identified in the report is the shift to Jellyfish Parenting, where Gen Z parents opt to be more flexible, gentle, and permissive with their children, tuning in to their needs and allowing them to have more autonomy. This is a stark cry from their own reality of being raised by strict tiger parents, where control and discipline reign supreme. In fact, 53 per cent of Gen Zs cite their own parents’ parenting style as one to avoid.

Other trends identified included digital-first faith-based learning, using AI-powered parenting apps as the new digital ‘grandma’ and swapping their children’s academic achievements with building core memories as a family.

The report highlighted a significant shift in the world of parenting as young people navigate a fast-evolving, digital-first landscape in their own unique ways and with their own different perspectives. This also means that organisations offering products and services to parents and children need to shift and grow accordingly to cater to such changes.

According to Sarthak Ranka, Strategy Director at Ogilvy Malaysia: “We created the Future of Parenting Report to understand how a generation raised with the internet will raise the next. We found that this generation are designing their own rituals, often by remixing tradition with tech— and doing it all while documenting the journey in real time. These parents aren’t just adapting to change—they are leading it. Thus, if brands want to earn a place in modern family life, they will need to create experiences that reflect these evolving values.”

“Gen Z parents are not just doing things differently; they are also consuming media and parenting information in a myriad of different ways. Today, every parenting tip, medical advice and child rearing guide can be checked, confirmed and challenged in real time. Brands don’t just have the responsibility to be accurate and engaging, they must also be quick, agile and dynamic to ensure that their message is resonating with Gen Z and millennial parents across every social, digital and physical touchpoint,” added Hazrina Azizdin, Head of PR & Influence, and Social for Ogilvy Malaysia.

The Future of Parenting Report is the first report of its kind by Ogilvy Malaysia, as part of its efforts to provide more insights on the challenges and realities of the modern world and how they affect market trends and consumer behaviour.

For more detailed insights into the 15 parenting trends of Gen Zs, download the full report here.