Millennials share their boomer parents’ 15 odd (and hilarious) habits they just don’t get
When it comes to intergenerational conflict, you never hear too much about Gen Z having a hard time with Generation X or the silent generation having beef with the baby boomers. However, there seems to be some problem where baby boomers and millennials just can’t get on the same page.
Maybe it’s because millennials were raised during the technological revolution and have to help their boomer parents log into Netflix, while the grandparents get frustrated when their adult children don’t know how to do basic homemaking and maintenance tasks. There’s also a political divide: Millennials are a reliable liberal voting bloc, whereas boomers are the target demographic for Fox News. Both generations also have differing views on parenting, with boomers favoring an authoritative style over the millennials’ gentler approach, which leads to a ton of conflict within families.
A Reddit thread struck a nerve
A Redditor recently asked Xennials, older millennials, and younger Gen Xers born between 1977 and 1983 to share some quirks of their boomer parents, and they created a fun list of habits that can be both endearing and frustrating.
The users shared that millennials are frustrated with their parents’ abilities to use technology but are touched when they send them a greeting card.
Of course, it is reductive to reduce generations into a series of stereotypes, whether it’s millennials or baby boomers. But, for many, hearing that they aren’t the only person who gets frustrated with their boomer parents can be pretty cathartic and make them feel less alone.
Here are 15 boomer parent quirks that Millennials just don’t understand.
1. They save everything
“They save EVERYTHING (containers, jars, boxes, etc.) just in case they might be able to use it for something later. I feel like this habit was handed down from our grandparents’ Great Depression upbringing.”
“Absolutely! Shopping bags, empty yogurt containers, boxes that some product came in…..although I love me a ‘good box!’ I have all my iPhone boxes for no reason.”
You know the old saying: Is she really a grandma if she doesn’t rinse out used plastic baggies to save for later?
2. They print everything
“My Boomer FIL prints out EVERYTHING from his computer. I understand printing out instructions or recipes to help remember but do you really need........
