Millennials have never shied away from sharing their feelings about their Boomer parents (and their grandparenting abilities) on the Internet. Millennials are once again uniting to discuss a similar observation about their Boomer parents’ frustrating phone use.
In a July 2025 thread about generational differences on the r/generationology subreddit, Millennial member Old-Beautiful-3971 shared their frustrating experience with their Boomer parents who are perpetually on their phones.
“My parents are on the very young end of being ‘boomers’. For some reason they’re both acting like me when I was 20… that is to say, gluuuued to their phones,” they wrote. “I tried to have an important conversation with my dad this morning and he did not once look up (and I’m certain he was scrolling through Instagram videos).”
They went on to add, “The only difference is that when I was 20 he could, and would often say ‘Look at me when I’m talking to you. Put that thing away.’ But if I said that to him now he’d get defensive and probably yell at me for being disrespectful. What the heck???”
Fellow Millennials agreed
The passionate post got a rousing response from fellow Millennials who have experienced the same thing with their Boomer parents.
“I have noticed it too and it makes me feel even weirder for having developed in the habit of flipping my phone face-down with my hands folded on top of it to let the person know that I’m listening for that they have my attention,” one commented. “And to think that it’s coming from the generation that tells everybody else that phones and TV will rot your brains.”
Another shared, “My parents are visiting me right now. My dad is glued to his phone, even at the table during meals. Never once participating in the conversation except to point at the salt. This is the same man who would have screamed at me for bringing a book to the dinner table.”
Others could commiserate about the role-reversal. “I’ve noticed this with my parents. It seems like I’ve switched places with them. I’m trying to use the online world less where as they are using it more and more,” one commented.
When phones take over family time
Some Millennials noted that their Boomer parents’ phone use has impacted other activities they attempt to do together. “It’s become so difficult to watch a movie with my parents. I tell them to put away their phone. Sometimes movies take two days to finish,” another shared.
Many Millennials also shared how they communicate with their parents when they notice it. “I am witnessing that as well, my boomer mom and my almost gen z brother visit and they are both glued to their phones. I try and ask if they can put them away because I don’t like my little son to see people like that. I do scroll but never when I am with him,” one Millennial shared.
Researchers have a name for this: “phubbing,” or phone snubbing, which a 2016 study linked to lower relationship satisfaction among romantic partners. A related term, “technoference,” describes how parents’ device use interrupts family time, and research on parents has tied it to more behavior problems in children over time.
Another added, “I stopped visiting my boomer mom for awhile. I told her to her face that I couldn’t stand the fact that I took the time to drive to her, which I really hate driving, it scares me and I’m not very good at it, and spend MY time with her only for her to be on her phone most of that time. I stopped calling her too because of all the times she’d put me on hold to take another call and then tell me that she’d have to call me back, but she never did. I still rarely call her. I just text so it’s less intrusive and hurtful for me. Now when I visit, her and her husband stay off their phones. They turn the TV down and only put quiet music on instead of blaring whatever crap they were watching. I did thank them for it.”
Gen X isn’t off the hook either
However, a Gen Z commenter was quick to point out that Gen X is guilty of the same habit. “My gen x parents are hella addicted to their phones (I’m 22 for context),” they wrote. “I’m not saying i’m not, but it’s really hypocritical when they’ll be bitching at me about ‘playing on my phone too much’ when they’re literal ipad kids lol. the reality is, screens and social media are addicting to ANYONE, regardless of age.”
Other Millennials pointed out that it’s not just certain generations that are addicted to their phones. “I’m guilty of it as well. Everyone is at risk of screen addiction in this era,” another noted. And another Millennial quipped, “Phones are addictive, that doesn’t just like go away with oldness.”
The data suggests they have a point: Pew Research Center’s 2025 survey found that 63% of adults ages 18 to 29 say they use the internet “almost constantly,” compared with 33% of those ages 50 to 64 and 14% of those 65 and older, even though 90% of adults 50 to 64 now own a smartphone.
Phones are tough on every generation
If there’s a takeaway from this thread, it’s that the phone gap is smaller than it feels. Millennials remember being told to put the screen away, and now some are watching their parents do the very thing they were scolded for. But as plenty of commenters pointed out, nobody is immune. Whether you’re 22 or 62, a phone is built to hold your attention. Maybe the real fix isn’t pointing fingers across generations, but doing what the commenter with the quiet TV and the put-away phones did: just say something, and see what happens.
This article originally appeared last year. It has been updated.
