Boomer Questions Why A Co-Worker Can't Rely On Grandparents For Childcare Until The Tables Are Turned
Peopleimages.com - YuriArcurs | CanvaModern childcare has become a major source of stress for working parents.
One thing that has become increasingly apparent in recent years is the major conflicts and disagreements between generations, particularly between Boomers and younger generations. One woman shared in an online forum the story of her Boomer boss, who struggled to understand why his co-worker couldn't just rely on grandparents for childcare until the same expectation was turned back on him.
The Boomer asked why his co-worker couldn't just rely on grandparents for childcare
"My co-worker and his wife are expecting their first baby soon,” the woman explained. "He was telling my Boomer boss and I that it's actually cheaper for his wife to quit her job than it is to put their newborn in childcare."
With the ever-increasing costs of childcare, this is sadly not surprising news at all. It seemed to hit the co-worker's wife especially hard, though.
“Apparently, his wife is pretty sad about this because she really loves her job and wanted to get back to work within six months after having the baby," she wrote.
While the two co-workers easily understood this issue, their boss did not. "My Boomer boss said, ‘Well, why don’t you get grandma and grandpa (my co-worker's parents) to help you,'" which earned a knowing laugh from the employees.
"My boss said, 'I take it that's a no,'" she recalled. To help her boss understand why that suggestion was unrealistic, the worker posed a question: "So I asked him, 'If [boss' adult child's name] has a kid, are you going to watch it for five days a week while they work?'"
When presented with this scenario, the boss seemed to understand where his co-workers were coming from. "‘Well, no, I can't do that,' he said."
The worker shared that she has seen this truth in her own life. "I don't have kids, but my siblings do, and I can count on one hand how many times my parents have watched their grandkids," she said. "My co-worker said his parents live pretty far away and don't plan on helping much."
The worker concluded her post by posing one main question: "Why do they think all grandparents are willing to 'help out' with childcare when they themselves are unwilling to do so?"
Many grandparents aren't able or willing to be full-time babysitters anymore
ABC 7 NY reported on the divide between Baby Boomers and younger generations, particularly regarding child-rearing.
Mother of two, Dr. Leslie Dobson said, "I think at times I dreamed a little bit like the movies where the family unit would be around, parents and grandparents would hold the children and babysit." However, like many, her parents live far away and are not active participants in her children's lives.
There does seem to have been a time when families functioned more as units, and everyone pitched in to help with the kids, especially the grandparents. The Tulsa Kids blog Grand Life agreed with this assessment.
"Many say they were latchkey children who spent weekends and summer vacations with their grandparents, and they want the same for their children,” Diane Morrow-Kondos wrote. "They feel like their parents should be repaying that favor by helping with childcare for their grandchildren, but they claim that their parents are too busy living their lives and refuse to babysit."
Both ABC 7 NY and Tulsa Kids pointed out that Boomers are an aging generation. Therefore, taking care of young children might not be at the top of the list of things they want to do, or even things they can do.
While it may feel unfair to younger parents who were raised with help from their own grandparents, many have valid reasons for not wanting to take on full-time childcare, which younger generations may need to acknowledge.
Mary-Faith Martinez is a writer for YourTango who covers entertainment, news, and human interest topics.
