Several of us were raised by a Gen-X, their parents. In other cases, many are not that lucky to do so, let alone end in foster homes. Me, I wound up living with my grandma, a baby boomer, after my parents passing away. “Oh great, I am stuck with an old school. I am in big trouble now”. I had been about 10-12 when my grandma attained custody of me between my other relatives. “At least I did not end in a foster home”. I thought to myself after I moved in with grandma Elsie. She was an admirable grandmother. Affectionate and feed me well. It seemed like I lived in a fairy tale. Well, everything changed with I turned 15 as I developed my own personality like every other child at that stage. I thought everything I said or did was valid. “It’s my way or the highway”. You know how teenagers are; they think that they rule the world, but if you see it at a baby boomers perspective, it was totally the opposite. It all started with her telling me to watch less T.V and help her with paint the house.
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“Hard work pays off” she would say. Paint the house? I wanted to watch cartoons! She always had me doing some type of labor.Then came what type of music I was listening to. At that age, I was listing to Hanson, Backstreet Boys, Celine Dion and a little of Kris Kross. She continuously would knock at my bedroom door retelling me to turn off that gibberish and to start listening to some authentic music like Frank Sinatra, Harry Belafonte and Héctor Lavoe. That fight went on for years. As I got older I started to listen to some rock and oh lord did that make it worse. Oh and let’s not talk about finances. It took me awhile to determine how pessimistic some baby boomers are about their own finances and others. If I craved something, she would say I do not have the money or we need to save. “We cannot waste money on things we do not really need”; that use to be saying, especially when I truly wanted something, like a toy or a CD. At one point I wanted to run away! I was going crazy. I could not take it anymore. “You cannot do this”, you cannot do that”, you’ not responsible enough” You do not know any better” “You're immature.” What. The. Hell! When I turned 20 one, she literally told me that if I do not leave before 9oclock, that I could not go out because that was the time the “hookers” and “sluts” when to do their business. Isn’t funny how the mind of a Baby-boomer is totally opposite to a GenY’s? Living with her made me realize how different our minds are in every aspect. Our Values, Morals. Our social opinions and how we spoke. I know I was young then, but how can I have learned from my experience if she was telling me what to do? I desired to learn on my own. I wanted to fail, knowing the consequences. She wanted me to be similar to her; to take the good, or what she though was. I am not living in her “era” I cannot act or think like she does. I can only take but just a little. I want to me be. The person I’ve become. One morning I realized. I did learn something. Living with her was not that bad. It has made me the person I am now, what she wanted. It all happened without me noticing.
The Outcome:
I don’t regret living with her, even though for ten years it was a tug-of-war. I have to say I’ve learn at lot from the experience. If I didn’t, that would have been ten years of wasted time. Their values and aspirations set the tone for everyone. Honor and respect for the family, absolute values of right and wrong and diligent work ethics. One of the things I cherish and admire her for teaching me was respect towards authority, the elderly. Till this day, an old man can cruse the day I was born, and I won’t say a thing, I’ll just keep on walking. We’ll, the thought of something may cross my mind, but I will remain my mouth shut. Ha. I’ve also learn not to tell her that she is too old to do something innovative and experimental. She is Boomer and Boomers are all special in their own unique ways.
Thanks for stopping by xox....
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