Dear Jessica Brennan,
I am of the generation that isn’t a Boomer or Gen-Xer. I’m in that 5-7 years that those who decide these things (I think we call them “they”) change their mind about every decade or so. Some call my little group of babies Generation Jones, the tail end of the Boomers and the onset of Gen-X.
What I have noticed, though, with Boomers is that many of them, as they age, return to the behaviour of their youth. In their 40s and 50s, they may have been conservative, hard-working, and responsible. However, a few short years later, they have reverted to the hippie mindset of yore, being all liberal and generally just misbehaving.
Your grandpa (my dad) was just shy of being a Baby Boomer. He missed it by a few years, but he grew up in the age of Boomers, and he was often caught in shenanigans that required a gentle reprimand.
Something else I’ve noticed is that many Boomers created entirely responsible offspring. This is where you come in. In my view, your generation is often more socially and environmentally responsible than their parents. As such, when Mum and Dad age, it causes the offspring (you) quite deep distress.
In our family, it goes like this.
Jessica: “Dad, make sure you have your phone on you and enough money for a cab.”
Who knew it would be us having wild pool parties, listening to loud music and waking up the neighbours while you were sitting by the phone with a cup of tea, waiting for the call in the middle of the night?
Jessica: “Mum, you know you can always call me and I will come and get you, no questions asked. You won’t be in trouble; I just want you safe.”
The only thing that kept my dad on the straight and narrow – and this is by no means a claim that he behaved himself – was the threat that his Long Term Care Facility would call and tell me he’d been naughty. Who knows what he might have gotten up to if it wasn’t for that?
As you know, your Dad and I have no intention of going gentle into that good night. What’s so good about it? That means we won’t be behaving ourselves, likely ever. We have strategically surrounded ourselves with friends who also won’t be sitting in an easy chair buying a vowel any time soon.
Jessica: “Dad, you were not home by 11 o’clock, so don’t even start. I saw your Facebook Live post at 3:00 AM — you and Barry dancing in the kitchen to Earth, Wind and Fire! You’ll have to be smarter than that if you want to get away with things.”
Late nights, loud music, pool parties, and annoying your kids — this is very fun.
Jessica: “Mum, I don’t know where you think you’re going dressed like that. Go back upstairs and change into something more appropriate, and don’t shove that outfit into your purse to put on later like you did last time.”
Dear Jessica, you’re not the boss of me.
Love,
Mum xo
