Boomer Rules That Are a Big Surprise to Gen Z
Boomers and Gen Z are almost polar opposites. But what the younger generation doesn’t understand is that boomers were raised very differently, and some mindsets stick. With that said, here are 15 childhood rules that boomers lived by that would shock Gen Z.
Obey Without Question
Respect was (and still is!) massively important to boomers. This is because they were taught to always obey without question when they were children. They did what their parents said and never spoke back, which is shocking to the much more open Gen Z.
Entertain Yourself
It’s not uncommon for Gen Z to have played alone as children, but boomers’ parents took this to a whole different level! They were often left alone to entertain themselves while their parents worked, cooked, cleaned, or ran errands. Gen Z, on the other hand, craves closer relationships.
Don’t Worry About Safety Precautions
Safety, what’s that? If you ask boomers, they’ll tell you plenty of stories about riding in cars without seatbelts, going to the beach without lotion, and drinking from the garden hose. The strict safety precautions that Gen Z grew up with are far more modern.
Strive For Academic Success
Academic success is important for any generation, but for boomers, it was the only “real” type of success. Nowadays, Gen Z have many different career options, so college isn’t seen as the be-all-and-end-all, but boomers were always taught that it was their big chance at success.
Don’t Expect Privacy
This one will definitely shock Gen Z because children are given far more personal agency now than in the past. Privacy was pretty much non-existent for boomers when they were young because their parents exercised total control of the household and expected them to follow every rule.
Keep Your Emotions to Yourself
Speaking of following every rule, boomers also learned early on to keep their emotions to themselves. By contrast, Gen Z are incredibly open about mental health, so the thought of being told to bottle things up and never cry is completely alien to them.
Eat Your Entire Dinner
This is one of the less shocking childhood rules that boomers had to follow, but Gen Z would still disagree with it. They were routinely told that they had to eat everything on their plates, otherwise they couldn’t leave the table. Modern parents are far more lenient with their children.
Accept Any Form of Punishment
The most controversial thing about old-school parenting is the use of physical punishments, which many boomer children were expected to accept. It was considered acceptable to spank children with hands or objects, something that Gen Z strongly objects to and reject nowadays.
Respect Your Elders
Of course, we all respect our grandparents, but for boomers, this was a rule, not a choice. They had to do what all adults said and never argue back, even if they were uncomfortable. For Gen Z, respect is something to be earned, not automatically given based on seniority.
Don’t Rely on Technology
Technology when boomers were young wasn’t what it is nowadays, but they still had televisions and other similar devices. But while the current generation of parents allows their children to have phones and tablets, boomers weren't allowed to rely on technology.
Always Be On Time
Constant tardiness can be irritating, but Gen Z are definitely more likely to be lenient than boomers! When the latter were young, it was drilled into them to always be on time because that showed respect, whereas Gen Z often prefers to go with the flow.
Follow Traditional Gender Norms
We get further and further from traditional gender norms every day, but they were still very much accepted when boomers were children. Boys and girls played with different toys, had different aspirations, and even learned different life skills. Naturally, this would shock Gen Z.
Learn Life Skills Early
On the topic of learning life skills, we can safely say that more boomers learned those in their childhood years than Gen Z. Boomers were simply more independent, whereas Gen Z were less likely to be left to their own devices as children, so their parents did more for them.
Don’t Come Home Too Soon
One childhood rule that boomers absolutely loved was being told to go and play outside. They’d often ride bikes or go on walks with their friends until it was dark, and their parents weren’t as afraid for their safety as today's parents are.
Be Seen, Not Heard
Finally, this is probably the oldest childhood rule that many current boomers still believe in. They were taught from a young age that children should be seen, not heard, which clashes with what Gen Z believes about children expressing themselves and having a voice.
