Boomers grew up with a set of habits that felt totally normal back in the day—but now, a lot of those everyday behaviors seem pretty strange. In some cases, these behaviors are entirely inappropriate and seriously don’t fly anymore. Here are fifteen normal boomer behaviors that haven’t aged well. Of course, boomers aren’t to blame for these behaviors being unacceptable and we’re not trying to judge anybody in this generation.
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Smoking Around Kids
In the ’60s & ’70s, lighting up a cigarette around children wasn’t something people saw as a big deal—parents smoked at the dinner table, in the car, and even inside homes with newborns. Science hadn’t fully understood the dangers of secondhand smoke yet, although it’s quite a different story now. People not only frown at it but it’s also illegal to smoke around children in a lot of places.
Making Jokes About Someone’s Weight
It used to be pretty common for adults to make casual comments about someone “putting on a few pounds” or “needing to skip dessert,” even though it wasn’t meant to be cruel. This was just part of normal conversation and was meant with the best intentions. But today, many people would argue that those kinds of remarks are an example of body-shaming and that they do nothing but seriously hurt other people’s feelings.
Saying “Spanking Builds Character”
Corporal punishment was accepted as a normal part of parenting in boomer households and talking about getting “the belt” or “a good spanking” was almost a badge of honor. These days, it’s widely believed that such open conversations about physical punishment are quite inappropriate. There’s a lot of research supporting the idea that spanking causes more negative psychological outcomes than it solves.
Using Pet Names for Strangers
Calling a waitress “sweetheart” or a bank teller “honey” was completely normal when boomers were growing up—in fact, it wasn’t something they would even question. But using those kinds of names outside of close relationships comes across as condescending at best and creepy at worst. Hearing such words coming from a stranger wouldn’t be a good thing in today’s world.
Bragging About Not Going to the Doctor
Lots of boomers, especially men, used to act proud about avoiding doctors for decades because they believed that skipping checkups was a sign of toughness. Avoiding the doctor made you a “real man,” and many older boomer guys would do everything they could to just tough it out. However, we understand now that ignoring your health isn’t something to brag about—it’s actually something that younger generations believe is entirely irresponsible.
Mocking Men for Showing Emotions
Similarly, boomer men who cried were often teased or told to “man up” by their peers because people believed that any emotions besides anger were weak. It was completely normal to hear jokes about men being “too soft” if they showed any vulnerability, which is rather different from now. We have a better understanding of how encouraging men to express feelings is normal and mocking them for it is rather outdated.
Making Jokes About People Being “Too Girly”
Boomers grew up hearing & telling jokes that made fun of boys or men who didn’t fit tough, masculine stereotypes—they’d say someone “throws like a girl” or “acts like a girl” without thinking about the impact of doing so. Today, people see these kinds of jokes as disrespectful and as a way of reinforcing outdated gender stereotypes that don’t benefit anyone. People recognize that your gender doesn’t define you, whether as a man or a woman.
Prioritizing Work Over Family 100% Of The Time
Missing a school play or family dinner because of work was just part of providing for the family—at least, that’s what boomers grew up believing. Being a “workaholic” was accepted and admired as a way to show that you were really committed to your job. Now, people are a lot more focused on trying to create a healthy work-life balance and they believe that constantly choosing work over loved ones is not something to be proud of.
Shaming People for Being Single
Marriage was practically expected in the past and being unmarried past your mid-twenties made you a subject of gossip, which is why many boomers often asked personal questions. They’d say things like, “When are you getting married?” without thinking about how critical this could come across. Of course, we now recognize that staying single by choice—or marrying later—is completely fine and we usually accept people who do so.
Assuming Everyone Shares Their Religious Beliefs
Boomers often spoke about their faith in casual conversation and they assumed everyone around them shared the same views, which is why they’d say things like “See you in church!” automatically. Yet in today’s world, there’s much more religious diversity & sensitivity, which means assuming shared beliefs isn’t polite anymore. You shouldn’t assume someone is of the same religion as you, let alone that they’re religious at all.
Being Rude to Customer Service Workers
It used to be the norm for boomers to snap at cashiers or waitstaff if they thought service was too slow or not good enough, as they grew up with the idea that the customer was right. Being a paying customer meant that you could talk to employees however you wanted, although we don’t see things the same way anymore. Many younger people would argue that treating service workers badly is a huge red flag and not just old-fashioned behavior.
Expecting Kids to Stay Silent for Hours
In boomer households, parents expected kids to sit still and stay quiet for long periods during church services or family dinners—they’d even have to be quiet during office visits. Bringing coloring books or snacks wasn’t something that they encouraged and they simply believed children should know how to behave. These days, parents are more understanding that kids need outlets and expecting total silence just isn’t realistic anymore.
Yelling at Employees in the Workplace
When boomers entered the workforce, it wasn’t out of the norm for bosses to yell to make a point, with some of them even believing that shouting at staff was part of good leadership. Such behavior wouldn’t go down well these days because we tend to believe that raising your voice at work is aggressive & unprofessional. In fact, doing so would likely lead to serious complaints, if not a full HR investigation.
Commenting on Women’s Clothing Without Being Asked
Many boomers, especially men, would offer comments about what women were wearing without being asked and they might say a skirt was “too short,” for example. They would even say that someone “looked better with less makeup” because they thought they were being helpful or protective by doing so. These kinds of comments are now seen as inappropriate & make people feel uncomfortable, instead of being cared for.
Responding to Emotional Struggles With “Tough Love”
Saying you were stressed or upset usually got you a shrug and maybe a “you’ll live” when boomers were growing up—that was pretty much the only support system that existed. Crying in front of anyone? You could forget all about it because boomers were taught you handled stuff on your own without talking about it. But now, people actually want you to listen instead of handing out speeches about tough love that nobody asked for.
Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
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