Young Filipinos are ushering in a new era of parenting.

Parents used to be put in boxes. Some parents were disciplinarians and authoritative figures, raising their children with an iron fist to set them up for success. Others were more lenient with their children, and believed in the importance of establishing trust among family members. There’s been a lot of debate on the “right” way to be a parent.

But online creators are now making space for all types of parenting.

The rise of gentle parenting changed parent-child dynamics, and greater mental health awareness stressed the importance of nurturing children’s emotional well-being. Parents are also more honest about the struggles of raising children, and how they do their best to be good parents in their own ways.

The Nerve studied posts shared in 2024 from Filipino parenting influencers on Facebook and TikTok, and compiled findings into a digest report that surfaces relevant topics and formats for creators looking to tap into the online parenting space.

This digest report was developed using Influence IQ, The Nerve’s data solution that enables measurable and transparent understanding of influence in your industry, with granularity and scale. Influence IQ can help you scope out the most influential voices in your industry, select influencers to invest in for your campaigns, and audit the impact of your campaigns in your digital landscape.

Healthy relationships, EQ as priority

Parenting influencers talked about the need to foster strong and healthy relationships with their children, spouses, and their families. These came in the form of advice, personal anecdotes, and even light-hearted jokes and memes.

Today’s parents are also challenged to acknowledge their shortcomings, and display emotional intelligence. Posts about parents embracing their imperfections, apologizing to their children, and opening up about the realities of parenting garnered significant engagement on Facebook and TikTok.

Parents today are also prioritizing taking care not just of their children, but of themselves. Mom influencers also talked about the beauty and fashion products they patronize, while brands recommended their products as rewards and gifts for hardworking mothers who wanted to treat themselves.

Storytelling, narrative-driven formats

Gone is the time when overt promotional content captured the attention of social media users. These days, personal stories from all kinds of parent influencers were among the most engaging topics on both Facebook and TikTok.

The Nerve also found that videos were also the most engaging formats across parenting content on Facebook, taking up the majority of top-performing posts from parenting influencers on the platform.

New voices in parenting landscape

While mom influencers still dominate the parenting influencer scene in the Philippines, other kinds of creators have also carved out their own space in parenting discussions. These included dad influencers, educators, and some couple/family creators online.

Parenting influencers in the Philippines aren’t just limited to celebrity moms and dads, either. Non-celebrity content creators also emerged as key actors for brands to engage with, as Filipinos found themselves following regular parents who put out relatable content about their home and family lives.

There’s no one way to be a good parent to your children. Mothers and fathers can be emotional and sensitive, work on their parenting missteps, and embrace who they really are. After all, it’s your heart and presence as a parent that matters most. – Rappler.com