Boomers have experienced more change in a shorter time frame than most people ever have. They’ve gone from rotary phones to smartphones, from snail mail letters to DMs and tweets. It’s no wonder they often resist change and hold tight to what they like and know.
But one thing they’re also learning is that some of the things they do every day as a matter of course are baffling to the younger set. So here are 10 things Boomers’ kids say they find annoying about their parents.
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Labeling leftovers with tape and a Sharpie
Because they don’t like peering into unidentified containers, they use masking tape and a Sharpie. Something like, “Chicken Stew 7/15.” It’s their way of practicing food safety, and it’s more effective than any high-tech fridge app. Their kids say it’s embarrassing and quite unnecessary.
Calling the remote control a “clicker”
It’s been named the remote control for decades now, but Boomers just still call it the clicker. It may not even click anymore, but some words just don’t change. Cue roll of the eyes from the kids.
Storing manuals and appliance booklets in a drawer
They know they can find all the manuals and booklets online. But they still have that folder somewhere of all the paper manuals for toasters, fridges, and DVD players they’ve owned since the 1990s. After all, they never know when they might need to reprogram something the old-fashioned way.
Watching the local news at 6 PM every day
We can get news online 24/7, but many Boomers still plan evenings around the local news. They just don’t look at headlines; they want to know about local weather, hometown sports, and community events.
Storing plastic grocery bags in a larger plastic grocery bag
Boomers have a bag of bags under the sink or in a cupboard. It’s not clutter. They reuse those bags for everything from lining trash cans to wrapping shoes when they travel.
Keeping emergency cash “hidden somewhere safe”
Boomers have a backup stash of cash put away at home just in case. They are not paranoid, they’re just prepared. They have lived through power outages and ATM failures. All their kids’ cash is virtual and in an app.
Printing out airline tickets or directions “just in case”
They have smartphones, but they also know that cell batteries can die at the wrong time. So they will print out boarding pass and directions from Google Maps as a backup plan, just in case. Meanwhile, their kids haven’t used a printer in a decade.
Saving the “good China” for important guests
Boomers still have special China and glassware saved for guests. They are not being snobbish. It’s just that some events and meals are worth a little fuss. Their kids don’t see the point of having plates they can’t use.
Buying greeting cards in bulk and mailing them
Boomers still have a drawer full of birthday, get-well, and anniversary cards. They still believe in dropping a card in the mail and writing a handwritten note inside. A quick text is all their kids want meanwhile.
Calling restaurants for reservations
They know they can book a table with a tap on their phone. But many Boomers would rather talk to an actual person to make a reservation. It’s not that they don’t trust technology; they just like to hear a friendly voice tell them that they have a table at 7 PM.
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