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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]The notion that this is typical of an entire generation is absurd.  My boomer parents and ILs could not be more helpful or interested.

It sounds to me like your kid doesn't have great parents, and it comforts you to believe that this is some type of generational failing, rather than specific to your parents, you, and your kid.  It's easier to believe that all boomer grandparents are like this, rather than grapple with the realization that your parents don't care that much.  [/quote]
I’ve witnessed both types of grandparent-grandchild relationships involving boomers. Some boomers are really involved grandparents and some are pretty checked out. I don’t have any statistics to cite, but it does seem like this is a pretty consistent complaint about boomers generally.

I can handle my boomer in-laws being checked out as grandparents (they’re old and they deserve to enjoy their twilight years and children probably are overwhelming for them at this point in their lives), [b]but it is annoying when they talk about how family is the most important thing to them and how happy it makes them to see their grandchildren, because in reality, getting to know their grandchildren is a very low priority for them.[/b][/quote]

This. It's more the hypocrisy at this point that's irritating. Not the hands-off part. That part is nice!

OP to answer your question, I think the parenting style was, in the day "what will other people think". The parents who acted like that parented and socialized like that. Their social life was important (what do other people think of us) and their parenting was all about "what was the "right" thing and what would other people think about their kid. Subtly, like you, the kids are pressured to get good grades and be little paragons of perfection.

Now, as grandparents, they are on facebook and it's exponentially worse. Oh Mary has a picture with all her grandkids. I should do that. When everyone shows up, they want the picture but that's it. [/quote]

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