Report: MY parents turn to AI, WhatsApp and digital ‘villages’ to raise kids

Parenting in Malaysia is undergoing a digital-age reboot, with Gen Z and millennial parents blending tradition and technology to raise their children in more collaborative, connected ways.

According to Ogilvy Malaysia’s inaugural "Future of Parenting" report, 68% of Gen Z parents rely on family for childcare, while 69% are using AI-powered tools to support parenting, reshaping what it means to raise kids in the digital era.

Community is also making a comeback, albeit via smartphone. Co-parenting WhatsApp groups have surged 75% since 2022, enabling co-op babysitting, childcare swaps, and modern-day 'kampung's ('villages') where help is just a text away.

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The report explores how younger Malaysian parents are rethinking the rules of parenting passed down from Gen X. Many are rejecting the strict, disciplinarian ‘tiger parenting’ model they were raised with in favour of what Ogilvy calls “jellyfish parenting”.

Jellyfish parenting is Gen Z parents' approach that is more flexible, gentle, and permissive with their children, tuning in to their needs and allowing them to have more autonomy. It is a gentler, more flexible approach that prioritises emotional connection and child autonomy. Over half of Gen Z parents say they deliberately avoid the style their own parents used. 

As such, brands have the opportunity to support, celebrate, and normalise kids’ autonomy as Malaysian parents shift their parenting style from control to connection.

Other shifts include a growing embrace of faith-based learning through digital-first channels, using AI as a “digital grandma,” and choosing shared family experiences over academic milestones.

“This generation are designing their own rituals, often by remixing tradition with tech— and doing it all while documenting the journey in real time," said Sarthak Ranka, strategy director at Ogilvy Malaysia.  

"If brands want to earn a place in modern family life, they will need to create experiences that reflect these evolving values," he added.  

Hazrina Azizdin, head of PR, influence and social at Ogilvy Malaysia, added that Gen Z parents are not just changing how they raise their children—they're also consuming parenting content in entirely new ways.

“Today, every parenting tip, medical advice and child rearing guide can be checked, confirmed and challenged in real time," said Hazrina Azizdin, head of PR, influence and social for Ogilvy Malaysia.  
  
"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,” she added.  

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