Boomers were raised with phrases that sound absolutely brutal now, but for many, taught them how to survive.
Walk It Off
A Boomer scraped their knee or got a paper cut; they didn’t always get a Band-Aid and a hug. Kids were told to “rub some dirt in it” or “toughen up.”
Pain was viewed as weakness, and dwelling on it made you weaker. This taught Boomers to persevere through physical discomfort.
Empty plate
At the dinner table, you would always hear, “Clean your plate; there are starving children everywhere.” Many Boomer parents lived through The Great Depression or World War II.
They thought anything less than consuming everything on your plate was sinful. You learned to respect your food because you knew other kids who were less fortunate than you.
Street lights
Boomers never had GPS or phones. The only rule they had was being home when the street lights came on. Parents let their kids roam the neighborhood.
Kids would go off and climb trees, chase squirrels, and make general trouble as long as they were home by dark. Boomers are now great at reading maps because they had to navigate using street signs. Not every outing was accompanied by a parent.
Not fair
“Life isn’t fair.” Boomers were told that when they complained about some kid pushing them off the swing set or their sister got more pie. Parents didn’t try to make things fair for their children.
They taught their kids that life doesn’t care about your feelings at a young age. You learned how to handle it.
Be seen
“Children should be seen and not heard.” Parents actually said this. But it did teach Boomers to behave and listen when in adult company. There was no running around, screaming or drawing on the walls at restaurants.
Learning to shut their mouth and listen taught Boomers about hierarchy and knowing when it was okay to voice their opinion.
Walk there
Wants to go to a friend’s house? To the store? “You can use your legs.” Parents didn’t chauffeur their kids everywhere they wanted to go.
Boomers walked miles to school in the morning and biked halfway across town in the summer heat. They aren’t spoiled with conveniences, so they know how to tough it out. If they want to go somewhere, they will just go.
Find something
If you were bored as a Boomer, then you had two choices: find something on your own, or your parent would find you something. The threat of cleaning the garage was enough motivation for instant creativity.
Boomers didn’t have TV shows and movies to constantly entertain them. They made their own fun by building forts and started lots of hobbies at a young age.
Work hard
“Pull yourself up by your bootstraps.” Boomers heard this every day, so they believed it. Sure, the economy was better when they were younger. But hearing this day in and day out created a generation that thinks elbow grease can fix anything.
Respect elders
Authority was not to be taken lightly or questioned. Whether it was the neighbor, policeman, or teacher, Boomers said “Yes, sir” and “No, ma’am” if they were spoken to.
This taught Boomers that there was an order for society, and you had to earn the right to challenge their superiors.
Stop crying
“I’ll give you something to cry about” is a phrase many Boomers remember from their childhood. It taught you to control your emotions and keep a stiff upper lip.
While psychologists teach kids today to express how they feel, Boomers learned to toughen up. Emotions don’t control you. You can stand tall during stressful situations.
Sources: Please see here for a complete listing of all sources that were consulted in the preparation of this article.
