MILLENNIALS TURN ON YOU? IT’S NOT YOUR FAULT

 

 

When millennials turn on you, don’t take it personally. But you will.

See, it’s not you.

Hard to imagine any baby boomer thinking anything’s not about them?

That’s you and me and every hair-dyed, botoxed, Elvis-girdle-wearing-but-calls-it-a-weight-belt boomer man and woman alive.

Millennials aren’t turning on you, so relax.

But they are persistent about taking their turn.

That might mean taking your place.

What do you do now? Feel better, or worse?

Ask a few questions before you answer. To yourself.

Who does it serve to send a twisted, angry, lashing out at everything, kid to take your place?

If you did your best and they still hate you, it’s not you; your best just wasn’t good enough. For them.

Millennials turn into their parents, too?

Who didn’t see this one coming?

After hearing your mother say she’s turning into grandma, why wouldn’t you turn into your dad just a little bit?

He was probably channeling grandpa anyway.

Keep that in mind talking to adult millennials, big daddy. If you don’t think you’re modeling behavior every time you open up, or don’t open up to them, you’re wrong.

Harry Chapin figured it out too late with Cat’s in the Cradle.

Dying at thirty eight in real life robbed Harry and his family of the Beatles promise in “When I’m Sixty Four.”

From azlyrics.com:

When I get older losing my hair
Many years from now
Will you still be sending me a valentine
Birthday greetings, bottle of wine?
If I’d been out till quarter to three
Would you lock the door?
Will you still need me, will you still feed me
When I’m sixty-four?

You’ll be older too
And if you say the word
I could stay with you

I could be handy, mending a fuse
When your lights have gone
You can knit a sweater by the fireside
Sunday mornings go for a ride
Doing the garden, digging the weeds
Who could ask for more?
Will you still need me, will you still feed me
When I’m sixty-four?

Every summer we can rent a cottage in the Isle of Wight
If it’s not too dear
We shall scrimp and save
Grandchildren on your knee
Vera, Chuck & Dave

Send me a postcard, drop me a line
Stating point of view
Indicate precisely what you mean to say
Yours sincerely, wasting away
Give me your answer, fill in a form
Mine for evermore
Will you still need me, will you still feed me
When I’m sixty-four?
Ho!

Parents turn into millennials and millennials turn against everyone.

Chasing youthfulness? You won’t win and you might feel stupid. But go ahead.

Joe Queenan explains how boomers hated their parents and everything about them, especially their music.

That’s why you left at eighteen, got your own place, and gave them the finger? Music?

Or, you moved into a dorm at college. Not the same thing.

The Big Problem with people who turn against everything is they eventually turn against themselves.

What’s that look like?

It’s in every out-patient rehab, every county jail, every state and federal prison.

Whether you agree with ‘whatever happens, happens,’ you don’t want that to happen.

If millennials turn to you, which way do you turn?

One thing to remember, it’s never too late. At least for someone. Maybe not you.

Even if you don’t live to a ripe old age and see the All’s Forgiven sign, make sure you give enough back to someone you care about.

Family’s break from the top down. And it’s always dad. And they need help.

No matter how many teams you coach, birthday parties you organize, no matter how much underage beer you accidentally left in the outdoor fridge when you went to bed, you can’t keep anyone from feeling what they feel.

If you only show one side of you, and if the return feelings get negative, show another side

Whether those feelings reflect well on you, or turn out the lights, you’ve got to try.

Some people keep trying and trying, no matter what.

All you need to do is try a little more.

Work with what you’ve got, find a bond no matter how thin, and build it up.

That’s the job of every parent, leader, teacher; every decent human being.

Join the crowd in your yard instead of yelling at them from the porch.