Shannon Nelson, a self-described “boomer grandma,” thinks sleep training is absurd. Same goes for bento lunch boxes.
“I babysat my eight and 10-year-old grandkids for three days and it took me about 45 minutes to get those things packed. They were like works of art when I finished,” Nelson tells TODAY.com. “And of course, when they came home from school, half the stuff was uneaten. I think we’re giving them too many choices.”
“My kids got a PB&J sandwich and an apple,” Nelson, 68, adds.
Nelson knows she sounds like a boomer. On social media, she regularly pokes fun of herself and other grandparents born between 1946 and 1964. One of her biggest hits is titled, “What defines a boomer grandma?”
“I’m a boomer grandma, and I’m gonna make up a cute name for my grandkids to call me,” Nelson begins a now-viral video. She proceeds to throw some suggestions including, Glamma or Gigi. Nelson goes by Gang Gang.
In the clip, Nelson, who has a golf bag slung over her shoulder, shares that she plays tennis, golf and pickleball. That means, “If your kids wanna hang out with me, they’re gonna have to do the same thing,” she explains, with a cold smile.
Next, Nelson addresses the boomer urge to comment on people’s weight.
“I’m a boomer grandma, so I worry about your kids getting too fat. I worry about you getting too fat, too,” she says. “Mostly, I worry about me getting too fat. Nobody wants a fat Gang Gang.”
Other trademarks of a boomer grandma according to Nelson:
- They’re filled with advice such as, ‘Why don’t you let that baby cry little bit? It’s such good exercise.”
- To look involved, they post photos of their grandchildren on Facebook, even though they weren’t there when the photos were taken.
- Boomers come from the school of girls wear pink and boys wear blue. “When the kids are with me, I’m gonna change their clothes, because kids were not meant to wear olive green khaki, dusty rose and mustard yellow.”
- Changing a poop a diaper is an automatic nope, because “been there, done that.”
- They’ll offer to babysit, but it has to be on their terms. Translation: The kids have to come to her house.
“This is clearly a comedy but definitely points out what we all know — such a selfish generation,” one person wrote in the comments.
Other reactions:
“I’m so triggered by this even though I know it’s supposed to be a joke.”
“It’s the “nobody wants a fat gang gang” for me. That generation does NOT embrace body positivity.”
“I’m a Boomer Grandma, I’m going to complain about how I never get to see my grandkids even though I don’t really care about seeing them.”
“This.Is.So.Accurate.I.Can’t.Even.”
Nelson, who has three adult children and seven grandchildren, understands why millennial parents are frustrated by boomers and vice versa.
“I respect my kids and the way they’re parenting, but it’s just very different from what we did,” Nelson tells TODAY. “I find myself biting my tongue a lot.”
For example, Nelson worries that young people today are growing up to be too soft.
“These days it’s all about being gentle and everyone is so concerned about the kids’ feelings,” Nelson says. “Are we going to create kids who just can’t cope? Where I come from, ‘get over it,’ was the therapy we got from our parents.”
Nelson also feels that children are over-scheduled with extracurricular activities.
“They get so little free time to discover the world on their own,” Nelson says.
Though Nelson doesn’t agree with all of her kids’ parenting choices, she acknowledges that they are “more thoughtful” parents than she was.
“I don’t recall ever looking at a parenting book,” Nelson says. “These parents are researching and reading. And I think that’s a good thing. They’re way smarter than we were. I just winged it.”
Nelson feels lucky to have an “awesome relationship” with her family. She says she owes that in part, to owning up to her mistakes as a mother — and for abiding by their rules.