11 Things That Make Boomers Feel Proud But Just Embarrass Their Grandkids
They beam with pride over things that just make their grandkids cringe.
Miljan Zivkovic / Shutterstock Every generation has its own unique set of accomplishments that they are proud of, and Baby Boomers are no exception. Born between 1946 and 1964, they came of age during a time of great social change and economic growth. They take great pride in their work ethic and their ability to do things on their own. However, many of the things that Boomers take great pride in sometimes feel out of touch or just downright embarrassing to their grandchildren.
As younger generations navigate life in an era defined by digital technology, Boomers' attempts to adapt to the changes are often met with awkwardness and embarrassment. These generational gaffes can prevent grandparents from ever understanding their grandchildren and vice versa. The silver lining here is that, thanks to this advancement in technology, we can find alternatives for our Boomer grandparents that can make them a little less cringey.
Here are 11 things that make Boomers feel proud but just embarrass their grandkids
1. Using speakerphone to chat
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Putting their phones on speaker while in public spaces is one of those habits that Boomers pride themselves on, and honestly, it makes sense when you consider that many of them are hard of hearing. To them, it's an efficient and hands-free way of chatting with someone. Whether they are catching up with an old friend while shopping or in the subway amongst a group of other people. It feels perfectly natural to them.
However, for their grandchildren, it can be incredibly annoying and embarrassing. These tech-savvy kids think that they don't know how to properly use a phone. To complete strangers hearing someone else's entire conversation while riding the bus is not a joyful experience. If their grandchildren are with them when this occurs, then they start to get secondhand embarrassment from the whole ordeal.
2. Displaying plastic-covered furniture
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Having plastic over furniture like sofas is one of those household quirks that your grandparents lived by. Keeping couches wrapped in plastic was done to prevent spills and messes from getting on something so expensive. That shiny, crinkly barrier was a marker of responsibility and upward mobility for the Boomer generation.
Even if it made a weird sound when you sat on it and got sticky when it was hot, you made do with it because you were visiting their home. It was an awkward cultural moment for many households, but it had to do with the times we were living in. Nowadays, there's a plentiful amount of sofas in all shapes, sizes, and materials at an affordable rate that don't require the awful plastic protection anymore.
3. Boasting about never using GPS
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As soon as you let a boomer get behind the wheel of a car, you'd better get ready for the speech about how back in their day, they didn't need fancy GPS tracking devices to get to where they needed to go. According to a survey by SafeHome, 170 million Americans own GPS tracking devices, with 26% of Boomers owning them. Boomers tend to be less enthusiastic users when it comes to GPS compared to younger generations because they often relied on their memory or reading physical maps.
No one can really blame them, as technology came along, the generations that came after them used maps printed from websites like MapQuest to help them guide their way, to eventually used GPS when it became available on their phones. The reason why we cringe when they say it is because it's meant to make your life a little easier. We sometimes wonder why our grandparents are so obsessed with struggling just to prove they know how to do something without a computer's help.
4. Forwarding memes
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Boomers were notorious as the generation who wrote letters and sent emails. So, forwarding their grandkids' memes because they know that's what the younglings like makes them feel like they're down with the times. To the grandkids, it's embarrassing, especially if it's done on such a public platform that all of their friends are on. Grandkids don't particularly find their old people memes funny, but they do appreciate the effort when they are sent one.
These guys are slowly catching up to what all the young kids are doing. A study by Pew Research Center found that Boomers have been adopting technology at a faster rate than in previous years, but still lag behind younger generations in device ownership and internet usage. One day, Boomers will reach our level, but by then, we will be done with memes and have moved on to another avenue for laughter.
5. Posting on social media like its a diary
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When Boomers create social media accounts, they start to treat them like their own personal journals or diaries. They post every little detail about their lives, opinions, and even embarrassing moments about their family members. Their grandchildren particularly dislike this if it's on a social media platform that they are actively on with their friends.
Many Boomers don't get in-person interactions as much as they used to. A study published in Heliyon found that Baby Boomers use Facebook and Instagram primarily to compensate for a lack of face-to-face interactions. They grew up in a time when letters and phone calls were the norm, so social media is their new way to keep in touch. While it may seem embarrassing to the younger generation, it's also a heartfelt way to stay involved in family life.
6. Their collection of ceramic figurines
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Growing up, my grandmother had a large collection of porcelain dolls spread out throughout her home. My older sister and I were terrified of these things. In the guest room we were staying in, they were adorned on top of a large armoire sitting next to each other in different colored dresses. When nightfall came, we could have sworn that their heads turned to look down on us. It didn't help that in the midst of this, we were going through a storm, which just made it even creepier.
Despite this experience, now as an adult, I have my own figures from television and franchises that I am a fan of, and it gave me a new appreciation for my grandmother's odd taste in decor. According to research, grandchildren perceived their grandparents, particularly their grandmothers, as influential in their value development. So, even if those figurines creeped me out as a child, inheriting them will give me a sense of sentimental value, maybe one day.
7. Bragging about hard work before computers came along
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Boomers take great pride in knowing that they worked long hours without help from modern technology. They'll recount tales of filing cabinets and how everything that was done manually required grit. When they proudly say these things, they are sharing their accomplishments and resilience with others.
To their grandchildren, this is unnecessary boasting at its finest. They believe that using technology doesn't make your work any less meaningful. To have the ability to use technology at such an early age should be celebrated. The generational divide is strong when it comes to how technology is used, with older generations saying we all rely too much on it, while younger generations say we don't rely enough.
8. Over-explaining basic tech usage
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Many Boomers will learn a basic keyboard shortcut to copy or paste and think they have mastered everything modern technology has to offer. You have to see things from their perspective. Adapting to tech that didn't exist for most of their lives is no small feat. Where the trouble comes in is when they think that they can explain it to younger people who are far more advanced in it than they are.
To the younger generations, like their grandchildren, this can be like 'old people-splaining' to a younger crowd. While you're teaching your grandkids how to copy and paste a link, they already know HTML coding. These children are far smarter than we give them credit for. It's just that technology has made them far less eloquent.
9. Bringing printed photos to show around
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Back in the day, people didn't carry a phone in their pockets to pull out and view photos of the family members that they cared about, so they carried physical photos in their wallets with them. Other times, these photos were reserved for a physical album that they would later open and share during family gatherings. During these moments, Boomers and their families could reminisce about their lives.
Fast forward to today, Boomers continue this tradition of keeping printed photos with them to show around. While it may seem embarrassing to some, printed photos hold emotional value to people. The power of a photo is that it holds a memory that you and a loved one can recall together.
10. Still using voicemail
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Leaving voicemails was considered a thoughtful gesture if it was good, but if it was bad, then it was used more as a warning. Boomers weren't the only ones who used voicemails to their advantage. Both Generation X and Millennials used to pre-record music before they said their personal messages that played before the beep.
Younger generations don't use voicemails anymore, as they barely even take calls. This is the new texting and instant messaging generation who would rather send paragraphs than tell you how they are feeling in 1 minute or less. Thankfully, we can still look back at these times when older generations did this.
11. Proudly displaying awkward school photos
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Boomers absolutely love having access to printed photos, which means that they also enjoy putting those photos on display for everyone to see. A survey by Shutterfly and Kelly Tareski Photography found that 76% of people felt happier when displaying photos in their homes, and 65% prefer personalized photo gifts over generic ones. There are countless stories of children being dressed up nicely for their picture days, only for them to come home with messy hair and dirt on their clothes. Then there's the inevitably funny faces that you make that make your parents angry because they already spent money on the shots.
Even if you feel like your school photos are embarrassing, your grandparents don't. This is because they don't see you as often and want a piece of you present in their home. It's a nice thought for someone to care about you so much that they are willing to put you on their mantle like a shrine.
Sylvia Ojeda is an author who has over a decade of experience writing novels and screenplays. She covers self-help, relationships, culture, and human interest topics.
