Getting personal here. What Generation are you?

[fly girl]

Proud Gen X. Dh is Gen X. We fit the stereotypes flawlessly. We have a Gen Z daughter.

What's the stereotype? Gen X'ers hates the Baby Boomers for creating all the world's problems and hates the Millennials because they are too lazy to do anything about it? Something like that? GUILTY Gen X'er here.

Ha, yes, we're that. We're also the first true "latch key" generation. Many of us may have started with Mom at home, but at some point she headed out into the workforce....and somewhere along the line all of the parents decided that their pre-teen/teen kids were fine at home for several hours a day without supervision....lol. DH and I both experienced this in our homes.

So we're known as the "independent" generation. Gen X-ers had to figure it out on our own. And so that's why we're so likely to roll our eyes at the other generations....the boomers were out there consuming everything.....their kids (the millennials) were always whining about something. Gen X is over in the corner rolling our collective eyes at them .

All generalizations folks....don't get mad at me .

See, I am not quite sure I am that way. I don't hate any generation. They have their stereotypes, just like we have ours (that only we find comical, because no one else has a clue who we are ) But I agree 100% in that I will roll my eyes at them. Whatever, I roll my eyes at everyone. I do laugh at how were are completely forgotten. Seriously, it is as if 1965-1980 never existed for some. Even Boomers who had us forget and go straight for the Millenial jugular. However, they did leave us to raise ourselves, so I guess I shouldn't be too shocked, lol. I kid, I kid -- but you know that's funny!

I see us as the last group of independent kids without playdates and helicopter parents. We truly were left to fend for ourselves. I remember being 9 or 10 years old, too sick to go to school and being by myself. My dad would call (he'd give the phone signal - 2 rings, hang up and call back) to let me know I could answer the phone. He'd check up on me to make sure I was ok. I made cereal and Campbell's Chicken and Rice soup and was fine watching Price Is Right and I Love Lucy on TV. And there is zero doubt in my mind that I was not the only kid left alone that young for the day.

However, we were taught to be respectful of adults. It absolutely did not matter if it wasn't your parent, if any Mom or Dad yelled at you it was taken seriously. And teachers, oh that is top of chain for respect. Your parents get a call from the teacher the only finger pointing was at YOU!!

We learned how to be resourceful, how to lose, and how to react to bad situations ... with sarcasm of course!

I love being a Gen X, we are badass.

 

[AustinTink]

and figured out how to break into the house when I forgot my key.

I think all of us Gen X-ers cultivated that talent.

 

[dvcgirl67]

Proud Gen X. Dh is Gen X. We fit the stereotypes flawlessly. We have a Gen Z daughter.






See, I am not quite sure I am that way. I don't hate any generation. They have their stereotypes, just like we have ours (that only we find comical, because no one else has a clue who we are ) But I agree 100% in that I will roll my eyes at them. Whatever, I roll my eyes at everyone. I do laugh at how were are completely forgotten. Seriously, it is as if 1965-1980 never existed for some. Even Boomers who had us forget and go straight for the Millenial jugular. However, they did leave us to raise ourselves, so I guess I shouldn't be too shocked, lol. I kid, I kid -- but you know that's funny!

I see us as the last group of independent kids without playdates and helicopter parents. We truly were left to fend for ourselves. I remember being 9 or 10 years old, too sick to go to school and being by myself. My dad would call (he'd give the phone signal - 2 rings, hang up and call back) to let me know I could answer the phone. He'd check up on me to make sure I was ok. I made cereal and Campbell's Chicken and Rice soup and was fine watching Price Is Right and I Love Lucy on TV. And there is zero doubt in my mind that I was not the only kid left alone that young for the day.

However, we were taught to be respectful of adults. It absolutely did not matter if it wasn't your parent, if any Mom or Dad yelled at you it was taken seriously. And teachers, oh that is top of chain for respect. Your parents get a call from the teacher the only finger pointing was at YOU!!

We learned how to be resourceful, how to lose, and how to react to bad situations ... with sarcasm of course!

I love being a Gen X, we are badass.

Yes, we definitely did not have helicopter parents, more like Space Station parents....could barely see us from wherever the heck they were most of the time . In my house I was home after school around sixth grade...my older sister eight grade and we were charged with keeping an eye on our younger sister who was a third grader.

And yes, we were left to figure things out. For my DH, he enjoyed playing with and building his owner computers at a very young age, which led to his career path. So at least some of us used our time wisely. I was eating Lipton's chicken noodle soup....and watching All My Children on days I was home alone. .

And yes, totally agree that Gen X, out of all of the generations....are the badasses of the lot.

 

[tasha99]

I'm gen x and was a latchkey kid from 2nd grade on, along with my younger brother who was one from 1st grade on (mom was a nurse at that time.) DH is a boomer. I have 1 zoomer and 2 millennial kids.

 

[White Cat]

Gen x people seem to be an angry lot. In general. Un happy. Un trusting.

 

[fly girl]

Gen x people seem to be an angry lot. In general. Un happy. Un trusting.

That is a very broad brush to paint.

Are we cynical? Sure, we can be. I think we are cynical and untrusting when it comes to how the world is working right now (but I think a lot of us are, across multi-generations). IMHO, we have been patiently waiting to take the reigns, and yet again it looks like Boomers will be the ones. No doubt, I'm extremely unhappy with that. You are correct in that regard. But that really doesn't play into my daily interactions. When then conversation starts though, you will see that side.

Also, Gen X is currently in that sandwich that is not only raising our kids, but caregiving for our parents as well. That is a burden for every generation, but right now it is us. That stress can truly make us unhappy. If you lived it you know it is not a picnic.

Those 2 factors could make you see us the way you do, but mostly the second one.

Overall, as a group, I don't see us as unhappy and untrusting. I see us as independents who try to figure out how to deal with problems themselves. We don't need praise, nor do we really want it. We just want to do our jobs well, and go home and live our lives. We aren't flashy, we aren't demanding, we just want to quietly do our own thing and wish others would feel the same way. We want you to live your life and be happy, but we don't want to be told we have to conform to your beliefs of happiness.

Just my 2 cents. Take it for what it's worth. Nothing.

 

[Disneylover99]

Un trusting.

As a Gen X, I can see that.

 

[The Mayor]

Your son and daughter are Millenials. They received participation trophies, Gen X was just told you are a loser.



Yes.

That never happened in our town or our household. Our children defy what a millennial is after i read the definition of a prototypical millennial.

 

[ajlsjl]

Gen X here (1980), no kids.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

That never happened in our town or our household. Our children defy what a millennial is after i read the definition of a prototypical millennial.

Yeah I don't really remember getting these so-called participation trophies (though I know it's also used more broadly to define how children were treated). I think the only one I can even think resembles that is getting one for being in the Kansas Relays. Otherwise no, any ribbons or awards I have are for 1st,2nd, or 3rd place or for being in a certain percentile.

I'm in the middle of what the Millennial generation is and had a lot of the growing up stuff that Gen X had

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

In my house I was home after school around sixth grade...my older sister eight grade and we were charged with keeping an eye on our younger sister who was a third grader.

And yes, we were left to figure things out.

That was how it was growing up for me too for the most part with my sister having to keep an eye on me but at some point she would do school stuff and other things that would keep her away.

My mom worked two jobs for almost all of my childhood. I had a key to the house as well as the garage code (once she got an opener as we didn't always have that). After school my sister was there at times, but not much especially when she was in high school she was almost never home (there's a 3 year difference between us). In the mornings my mom was not there and it was generally left up to us to get ourselves up for school. When I was younger (til 5th or 6th grade) my mom did wake me up and take me to an in-home daycare center. Around that time period was also when I stopped going to in-house daycare after school so I'd walk home from school and walk to school alone. Middle school (7th-8th grade) I would wake up to an empty house, take the bus to and from school and come home to an empty house. High school same story although I also started working as well.

At my dad's house there was more supervision but that was born out of the fact of where he lived which was nowhere near my mom and had to drive me to school. But still it was always up to me to get myself up and ready for school.

 

[Keladry84]

Officially I'm an older millennial (84), but most of what is said and characterized of Millenials don't really match my experiences. Neither does a lot of Gen X.

There are others in my situation born in the early 80s. I've heard the term"Xennial" or also "Oregon Trail Generation" in reference to us as a micro-generation. Both of those seem to fit more for me and better reflect my actual experience.

 

[Allison Joy]

I'm also an older millennial (83), and I'm with kelardy84. I feel like I fit the "micro-generation" better. We grew up "along side" technology and learned and adapted with technology. Technology didn't define us. I don't like how millennials are often stereotyped, because even in a lot of the older millennials I know I don't necessarily see that (Like that they have to have participation trophies and all that) My parents had me later, so my parents were both Silent Generation and my brothers are both Gen X, so I think was raised more like a gen Xer, because my parents were older, if that makes sense?

Anyway, just found an article on Britannica that is not as... critical on millennials as most, and I can agree with most of it. https://www.britannica.com/topic/millennial

So I guess long as you don't make assumptions about me based on what you've heard about millennials, I'm good.

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

Gen X. Dh gen X. We are raising Gen Z kids. And they say okay boomer to us. Totally uninformed. lol

 

[Chili327]

Yeah I don't really remember getting these so-called participation trophies (though I know it's also used more broadly to define how children were treated). I think the only one I can even think resembles that is getting one for being in the Kansas Relays. Otherwise no, any ribbons or awards I have are for 1st,2nd, or 3rd place or for being in a certain percentile.

I'm in the middle of what the Millennial generation is and had a lot of the growing up stuff that Gen X had

Out of curiosity, was the 3rd place trophy for the lowest percentile?

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Out of curiosity, was the 3rd place trophy for the lowest percentile?

lol no. I'm not sure where the participation trophy stereotype got assigned but is sure wasn't a thing in my area as a kid.

 

[SirDuff]

I'm Gen X and we had participant trophies. Thinking of t-ball, for example. At the end of season banquet, there were participant trophies for everyone (very small) and then much bigger ones for the first- and second-place teams (I think the second-place team got something - in my memory it was slightly smaller than the first-place team). I mean, it was very clearly a "thanks for coming out" type thing and very much inferior to the ones people got for winning, but I do remember that we got *something* (at least sometimes). Not for everything (and, again, clearly inferior) but I definitely remember at least some participation trophies/ribbons.

 

[WDWEPCOT]

Gen X here
DD Millennial
DD Gen Z

 

[Kittyblue]

X

 

[Beezle2]

Boomer here, just squeaked into the generation, born in 1963.

I'm a 63 baby but I am firmly in X'er. I in no way identify as a Boomer. The charts I have seen are a bit all over the place but we tailenders need a little flex in deciding.