If “us” baby boomers grew up in such a swell time/situation - stage set by our parents (assuming) - then why have we not repeated the cycle by raising our children the same way??? Aren’t parenting cycles often (not always, often) repeated???
As a late baby boomer (1959) I don’t buy all the jargon about “those were the days”, “things were so much simpler when we were younger”, “we grew up in such a happy time”.
While we may have roamed our neighborhood more freely (go to the park, pool, etc. when you wanted), most of our time was limited to our neighborhood - our parents didn’t let us branch out much or even explore different neighborhoods of our small city much. So is isolation a good thing???
Hovering. In my house growing up, we may not have had cell phones to tell our location, but you better believe we were responsible for letting our parents know where we were and for how long. I’ll bet there were many times my mom/dad would have LOVED to have the ability to track or contact my brother when he was late to know where he was and that he was safe - even just in the neighborhood!!!
This morning I saw one of those FB posts “So glad I had a childhood before technology”. We HAD technology! Phones, tv’s, walkie talkies - different perhaps, but new and exciting then! And, for all the technology downfalls, to me, there are MANY more positives. I’m thrilled as a parent, adult and human being to be able to enjoy technology.
So, to the OP, no, this generation is not what you speak of - for the most part. Exceptions always.
“You think Moms in the Greatest Generation who stayed home with their kids did whatever they wanted?”
I have no idea what other moms would do, just mine. Even though she was working, all the chores still had to get done. The laundry, cooking, cleaning. It’s not like those chores are going to disappear if you are working, we didn’t have the money to pay other people to do them. And you bet, as soon as we were old enough to go to school, she would have gone hiking, walking, exploring her interests. It’s not like she was the type to stay home and scrub a little harder to make that home pristine. I wouldn’t expect or want that of her.
Perhaps it was that I was lower, or lower middle class, but I didn’t see many moms staying home with the kids. Certainly not pampering them, and there were very few that I saw with their kids all the time. The dads, you only saw for a moment.
"If I said this to my mom, I don’t think she would kick my cherish, pampered little butt. Most likely because she doesn’t hold herself accountable for the actions of her generation. On the flip side, I wouldn’t say it because I don’t hold the actions of a faction to be an example for an entire generation. One could expand this idea to that of the Millenials… "
Ah ha, there’s the point. You wouldn’t say that. And I don’t think the negative examples of Millenials are representative of an entire generation either. I know a lot of wonderful young men and women. Yes, they were distinctly pampered, but they are not spoiled, they are brilliant, generous, creative, and hard working. Off the top of my head, I can’t even come up with anyone I know of that generation who isn’t.
I am pretty sure every generation complains about subsequent generations. I sure remember a lot of grumbling about those dang hippies when I was growing up - and drugs and that free love stuff all the young kids were getting into, don’t you know - not to mention the lack of respect for old folks (never trust anyone over 30 …).
I am now the old man who stands in his yard and yells at the kids to stay off his grass, metaphorically speaking. I see a lot of things I don’t like, and I grumble and complain about them. I do try to keep my b****ing to my family and close friends, though.
Remember those days when we could make jokes about the wife (I’ll think I’ll keep her), and tell off-color sit-back-and-enjoy-it rape jokes, and those other jokes about other-color people, which no one ever complained about cuz we just knew white people, and we could hire who we want, and make lewd jokes at whoever we wanted to, if they worked for us, and no one worried that those pesky gay people (well, that’s not the adjective, we’d use, but you know what I mean) would not even mention the idea of getting married, cuz we didn’t put up with that sort of godlessness, and speaking of God, how we could make sure we only met the right sort of people at the country club, if you get my drift?
those were the days, right? What’s with all this over-sensitivity, anyway?
I would also say that my generation’s expectations of financial security made us much more coddled than today’s generation, which has much lower expectations.
Oh BLESS you, garland! How DARE these young people acknowledge that there are STILL such areas in which improvement is needed, and how DARE an young employee point out to coworkers that they are being ignorant of this! Why, why, just suck it up, kid! We’re all equal and all the same! It’s a post racial/sexist/classist/etc. society, don’t you know that??
When the young employee has basically alienated most of her cohorts and they now feel uncomfortable around said young employee…I guess everyone of THEM now needs to give a trigger warning and crawl into a safe space whenever said young employee comes down the hallway.
The absurdities of what this particular person brings up (called D ignorant for supposedly mispronouncing the name of Mexican restaurant and then proceeded to REALLY mispronounce while letting D know her white middle class upbringing doesn’t excuse such behavior - is just plain funny).
As far as the bigger picture…this type of hypersensitivity doesn’t lead to a better understanding or willingness to put oneself in the place of another. It does lead to said eye rolling and to the that individual being socially ostracized . People will eventually leave you alone and thus your triggers will not be …um…triggered. I guess that solves the problem.
Are there still areas which need improvement - yup. Are there ways adults of good will can address these issues - yup. Do adults of good will do this - yup. Is being the one who is convinced all things said or done are a potential personal attack a way to get adults of good will to discuss your concerns with you - nope.
I think there is a general difference between kids just coming out of college now and those who are 30 to 40, I don’t know that it makes sense to lump them all in one group. In the latter group (maybe starting in the late 20s), employers (including me) find a significant proportion of employees who feel entitled to high pay without high effort and put their work/life balance expectations on the table without ever registering that some of their expectations will hurt their productivity and thus pay. The kids just graduating from college in the recession seem eager to find a way to be economically productive. None of the “I should be paid $XXX but I don’t really want to travel that much” (even though the traveling is the way you are worth $XXX.
The baby-boomers did much more than previous generations in trying to make everything perfect for their precious offspring (of whom they had a relatively small number per couple). Some of that will confer real benefits while some will be capacity-reducing. I can’t speak to micro-aggressions and safe places. They are not part of my universe.
You know what? I’m glad my generation is demanding more work/life balance. Personally, my parents’ generation around here didn’t have to demand work/life balance because they did their 40 hours, made a good living in the factories, and could afford the “American dream.” My generation started out with massive debt, are expected to work longer hours for less pay, and we’re saying “no.” I say, good for us.
Here’s an idea, @dietz199. Perhaps one of the office workers could stop with the eye rolling and talking-behind-the-back, and instead invite the ostracized young employee over for a meal. It’s amazing what some good food and a direct conversation can accomplish.
