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Millennial mom gives 3 big reasons Boomers are the 'worst' generation of grandparents

"Honestly Boomers are so agitated with the grandkids."

Image via Canva

Millennial mom shares why Boomer grandparents are the worst with grandkids.

Every generation has taken a different approach to parenting. From Gen X to Boomers to Millennials, each generation has brought up their kids different than the generation before. And for Millennial parents with Boomer grandparents, some have a bone to pick.

TikTokker Phyllis (@motherphyllis) pointed out three of the biggest reasons why she thinks Millennial parents (like herself) think that Boomer grandparents are *the worst* when it comes to helping take care of their grandchildren. The first reason she is calling out Boomer grandparents is because in her experience, they don't really want to help out if needed, and throw a "you need to raise your own kids" argument if asked for help.

"I’m not raising your kids. They’re your kids take care of them yourself even though trust us we don’t want you raising our kids. No thanks 🤣," she captioned the post.

@motherphyllis

I’m not raising your kids. They’re your kids take care of them yourself even though trust us we don’t want you raising our kids. No thanks 🤣 #fyp #fypシ #grandparents #millennial #boomer #mom #sahm #fypage #honest #truth #foryoupage #fyppppppppppppppppppppppp

In the video, she says, "Because y'all couldn't wait to have grandbabies. You were so excited about it. And then when they get here, you *maybe* stop up at the hospital, *maybe* stop over to the house. You stay for 45 minutes, snap a picture, upload it to Facebook and then you gotta get home to the dogs. And then you might not see the baby again until their first birthday."

She goes on to add that Boomer grandparents also like to add in that they are "not raising your kids. 'They're your kids. I raised my kids. Sorry but I'm not doing that'," she says, adding that when Boomer grandparents are asked to do a small favor like watch their grandkids for a doctor's appointment, they use that argument. "Us Millennials are like, 'Wait! We weren't asking you to raise them. We were asking you to keep them for maybe like, an hour or two."

Her second reason why she thinks Boomer grandparents are the worst is that they are irritated/agitated easily with grandkids. "Honestly boomers are so agitated with the grandkids. My grandma would never 🤣😩," she captioned the video.

@motherphyllis

Honestly boomers are so agitated with the grandkids. My grandma would never 🤣😩 #fyp #fypシ #foryoupage #fyppppppppppppppppppppppp #mom #millennial #momlife #boomer #generations

She goes on to explain that Boomer grandparents do "weird sh*t", like "they won't see the kids for a year, maybe because they're long distance, and they come around and are instantly irritated with the kids. They can't even stand it," she says. "It's like, 'Quit talking! Quit jumping! Quit doing that!' It's like, what are they doing? They're just eating Goldfish. 'The crunching is giving me a headache, it's just annoying.'"

Then she gives another scenario, with Boomer grandparents who live 45 minutes away who "act like it's a total inconvenience to see the kids like, I don't know, once a month or once a week even...Boomers be so irritated with the grandkids these days."

@motherphyllis

Just calling to chat about myself… #fyp #fypシ #foryoupage #fyppppppppppppppppppppppp #sahm #mom #millennial #boomer #generations #funny #honest #truth

Finally, she shares that the third reason she thinks Boomer grandparents are the worst is because when they call to check in, they only want to chat about themselves. "Just calling to chat about myself…," she captioned the post.

"You think they're calling to see how you're doing or how the kids are doing or something of that matter besides themselves, but nope...they're just calling to talk about themselves," she says. "They want to talk about the new beach house, they want to tell you about how they're furnishing it. They might start the conversation with, 'How's everyone doing?', and then when you start to explain how everyone's doing they're like, 'Okay well that's enough! I didn't want the whole story. I was just calling to talk about myself.'"

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'Guys with alpaca hair' and 14 other Gen Z fashion trends people hope disappear ASAP

Why does every teenage boy has a mullet and a mustache?

via The White House/Wikimedia Commons and The Earthy Jay / Pexels
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and a woman with a nose ring.

Online culture has had an incredible effect on fashion trends. It used to take a trend about 20 years to complete a cycle: introduction, rise, peak, decline, and obsolescence. However, in 2025, this cycle has been sped up incredibly due to several factors. Trends can be quickly introduced and adopted due to social media, online shopping and quick turnaround through fast-fashion distribution. The speed of adaptation also means they can fizzle out just as fast.

This means a fashion trends we’d usually see stick around for years can come and go in months. It’s an expensive pill to swallow for anyone trying to keep up with the latest (Gen Z, we’re looking at you), but it’s a blessing for those of us who have a problem with some of today’s polarizing looks.

The bad news is you may not like broccoli cuts. The good news is that they will be gone and forgotten before you know it.

A great conversation recently broke out on Reddit, where commenters weighed in on all the fashion trends they couldn’t wait to go away.

It seems that some of the most controversial styles are the work of Gen Z. Whether it’s the nose ring that looks like it belongs on a bell cow or big pillowy eyelashes, Gen Z has championed some looks that will probably look a little silly in a few years.

Here are 15 fashion trends currently “in” that people are already over.

1. Suits with shorts

"Took my cousin to prom and saw at least 30 dudes wearing a suit with shorts."

This one is extremely hard for millennials and Gen Xers to wrap their heads around, but it is oh-too-real. It seems to be a natural evolution of the "suit with sneakers" look.

2. Anti-aging tweens

"Children (I’ve mostly seen around ages 9-13) going to Sephora for anti-aging serums and makeup. You all can hardly go to the park by yourselves, yet you’re plastered in expensive creams and makeup like you’re 20+."

"This one really bothers me. It’s pretty dark, honestly, and the parents who allow this are weird as hell."

The New Yorker says tweens are imitating influencers and popular "get ready with me" videos on social media.

3. Limp Biz-kids

"I'm a high school teacher and a surprising number of the boys dress like it's 2000 and they've got Limp Bizkit's 'Nookie' on repeat. There's one kid that looks like he's from 1977. Puka shells, feathered hair, big, open collars. I like that kid."


fashion trends, alpaca hair, nose rings, gen z, gen z fashion, gen alpha, generation differences, culture, fashion, trends Dressing like Fred Durst is in, for now. Giphy

4. Botox

"Excessive Botox in young people. I’m so tired of everyone having a frozen face. It’s not pretty. It’s just weird."

"I swear there was a coordinated effort by some industry to convince girls in their 20s that they need to start Botox now because it’s preventative. That’s the reason given when I ask these early 20s girls why they use it. “It prevents future wrinkles” like there was a peer-reviewed study showing it does or something."

Patricia Wexler, MD, of Wexler Dermatology in Manhattan, told Vogue that getting preventative Botox injections at a young age can lead to more wrinkles. “If you do too much Botox on your forehead for many, many years, the muscles will get weaker and flatter,” Wexler says. This means that surrounding muscles do more work when you make facial expressions. “If one stops using their forehead muscles, they may start squinting using their nose and have wrinkles along the side of their nose," she continued.

5. Teen boys with alpaca hair


fashion trends, alpaca hair, nose rings, gen z, gen z fashion, gen alpha, generation differences, culture, fashion, trends Famous men like Patrick Mahomes have popularized broccoli hair. Giphy

"I used to work reception at a salon and it was always fricken hilarious when these kids would come in to get a perm. They'd come sulking in behind their mommies, sit for 2 hours with curlers and stinky perm solution in their hair looking like cats being forced to take a bath, then prance out thinking they were the shit with their new poodle cuts lol."

"Some of them are definitely embracing their natural curls, which is awesome! But a good chunk of them, especially the preppy ones with rich parents, are getting straight up 80s style perms. It's great."

We can blame Patrick Mahomes for popularizing this one, but he shares the responsibility with other famous men like Jake Paul (unfortunately).

6. Laminated brows

"Eyebrows that are brushed upwards. That's the only way I can think to describe it. I can't see anything else when looking at someone who has that style brows. I just don't know why people like it."

"Almost every eyebrow trend ends up looking kinda silly. Let's just all work with the eyebrows we have. Sure, clean it up a lil bit if you feel like it."

In the 2000s, we had spiky hair. Now, we have spiky eyebrows. But don't worry, it won't last.

7. Over-the-top fake eyelashes

"The ridiculous false eyelashes. I get it. I've got no problem with the ones that at least have a semblance of being natural. But the uber thick ones that look more like fur are just...pointless.Someone I deal with at work wears them. And it's so weird, because most of the time she dresses down in sweatshirts, jeans, sneakers, etc. And doesn't pay much attention to her hair. But she's got those stupid wooly caterpillar eyelashes in. They just call attention to how un put together the rest of her is. I know that everyone should just dress for themselves, but it's just weird."


fashion trends, alpaca hair, nose rings, gen z, gen z fashion, gen alpha, generation differences, culture, fashion, trends Can we just not with the fake eyelashes? Giphy

8. Barrell jeans

"The barrel jeans have got to go. They’re the ugliest effing things I’ve ever seen. And people keep lying to these women about how they’re flattering and I’m like no! You look bowlegged!"

For years jeans got tighter and lower until they reached an inevitable breaking point. High-waisted jeans were a sign of the pendulum swinging back in the other direction, and now young peoples' jeans look like inflated balloons.

9. '80s moustaches

"Weird '80s moustaches, I've seen good looking guys made to look like Ned Flanders. Ages them instantly, which I guess is the plan, but ages them past 20s to married with kids approaching teenage years."


fashion trends, alpaca hair, nose rings, gen z, gen z fashion, gen alpha, generation differences, culture, fashion, trends Benson Boone is the ultimate epitome of 2025 Gen Z style. Giphy

The number of young men with mullets and moustaches is absolutely staggering these days.

10. Crocs

"I thought they were hideous when they first came out almost twenty years ago, and they’ve never gone away."

"We always made fun of them and then suddenly everyone was wearing them. I don’t get it!"

How did Crocs go from the bargain bins to becoming one of the top footwear brands in the U.S.? The big reason is that comfort became more important during the pandemic than aesthetics. They were also quite a statement for people who wanted to rebel against traditional beauty standards. Add celebrity endorsements from Justin Bieber and Post Malone and Crocs came back in a big way.

fashion trends, alpaca hair, nose rings, gen z, gen z fashion, gen alpha, generation differences, culture, fashion, trends No one quite knows how Crocs have managed to stay relevant for so long. Giphy

11. Long nails

"Super long acrylic nails, they seem really impractical."

"Especially the pointed ones that all the Hollywood people wear like claws. You look trashy and high maintenance."

12. Grunt style

"Patriot clothing and beards. Grunt style, nine line... all these fools dressing like they're special forces, their entire identity tied to 1776. It's embarrassing."

If I never see a t-shirt of an American flag with an assault rifle superimposed on top, it will be too soon.

13. Hair parted in the middle

"Middle parts. You need an almost symmetrical face to be able to pull it off, which is pretty rare. Side parts all the way."

"Middle parts look so harsh and unflattering on everyone. Side parts are a million times better."

It was cool when Shawn Hunter and Jonathan Taylor Thomas did it. Let's leave this one in the '90s.

14. Nose rings

"That nose ring in the middle. Just doesn't look good to me. You do you. But just think it doesn't look good very often."

"They always make me think of cattle."


fashion trends, alpaca hair, nose rings, gen z, gen z fashion, gen alpha, generation differences, culture, fashion, trends The good thing about piercings is that they can close up once they're out of style. Giphy

15. Political clothes

"Political attire as someone's entire main wardrobe, no matter the side of the spectrum. You got more personality than that!"

"I have a bro-in-law who wears American flag t-shirts almost exclusively. He must have hundreds of them. And not the tasteful kind with like a little flag on the sleeve or chest. I’m talking about the most garish kind. The kind with a gigantic waving US flag along with a menacing bald eagle flying dramatically over snow-capped peaks. We like America too, Dan, but can you try to wear at least a polo to Grandma's funeral?"

This article originally appeared last year. It has been updated.

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6th-grade parents bring in hilarious 'artifacts' to help teacher create Millennial Museum

Sorry, Millennials, your childhood is now a history lesson.

via Ciro Duran/Flickr, Shein, Aslam Bijarani/Flickr

A Game Boy, New Kids on the Block shirt, and a Nokia phone.

It’s said that one of the most effective ways to learn is through experience, by actively engaging with the material and applying it to real-world situations. That’s a little hard when you’re teaching history, but Malinda Nichols, an Alabama sixth-grade social studies teacher, found a way to bring the ‘90s to life, with a bit of help from her students’ Millennial parents.

“As our decades progress here in social studies class, we have reached, of course, the very best decade, the 1990s. So, I have invited parents of my students, who are all Millennials, to bring in nostalgic items from their childhood,” she said.

@hipsterhistorywithmrsn

Our 6th grade classroom turned into a pop culture time machine this week. Parents surprised students by bringing in “historical artifacts” from their own childhoods—growing up in the 80s, 90s, and early 2000s—as we studied the decade of dial-up, denim, and discmans. We laughed. They gasped. We explained what a floppy disk was. This generation of parents didn’t just live history—we were the bridge from analog to digital, from mixtapes to MP3s, from landlines to livestreams. And maybe we’re only just realizing what a radical shift that was. To our kids, it’s ancient tech. To us, it’s memory lane. To historians… it’s officially history. #90sKids #GenX #MillennialParents #FromAnalogToDigital #RetroInTheClassroom #MiddleSchoolMagic #SocialStudiesClass #HistoryCameToLife #Edutok #TeachersOfInstagram #ThrowbackVibes #TBTEveryDay

Social studies teacher creates a museum dedicated to Millennials

Nichols' Museum of the Millennium allowed students to have a hands-on experience of what life in the ‘90s was like, by being able to touch and examine ancient artifacts, including flip phones, landlines, teen heartthrob magazines, New Kids on the Black memerobilia, Cabbage Patch Dolls, a full range of Nintendo systems, Gymnastics Barbie, Disney VHS tapes, and disposable cameras. The teacher even created a shirt for the occasion that reads: "Respect Your Elder Millennials" featuring a Game Boy, cassette tapes, a Nokia phone, and an in-line skate.

Parents were also on hand, acting as docents to teach the students how to do oh-so ‘90s skills like play a tape on a VHS machine or blow into a Nintendo cartridge to bring it back to life. The next day, the students conducted artifact analysis on the items they experienced at the museum, and created their own AOL usernames. Because in 1996, if you didn't have an AOL name, you probably didn't exist.

While many Millennials and Gen Xers who enjoyed ‘90s childhoods may feel like they’re not old enough to be historic, this social studies teacher who focuses on modern U.S. history begs to differ. "We raised Tamagotchi pets and felt the thrill of seeing Home Alone in a packed theater. We watched the Twin Towers fall in real time. We saw the rise of Blockbuster, the birth of YouTube, and the shift from landlines to cellphones. We were the ones who said goodbye to analog and hello to the digital age," Nichols told Newsweek. "That's pretty historic."

@hipsterhistorywithmrsn

Welcome to Part 2 of the Museum of the Millennial: curated by parents, gasped at by 6th graders. 🎧📼📟 This pop-up classroom exhibit TRULY had it all:
✨ Rotary phones (thought they figured it out but then they tried to “press the middle button to make it go through.” What a learning moment.) ✨ VHS tapes (Be Kind, Please….do what?) ✨ Folded hearthrob posters (Gen Alpha, meet #JTT and #DevonSawa) ✨ Beanie Babies (“My mom has purple princess one! Is it worth anything?!”) Not sure they were ready for ancient artifacts of the previous century, but when their parents SURPRISED them and showed up TO EXPLAIN IT ALL (like Clarissa), welllll, it wasn’t just a throwback…it was living tangible history. And it was hands down one of the very best days in my classroom EVER. 
If you love seeing classrooms bring history to life in creative and hilarious ways — follow for more reels like this! Let’s make history weird, fun, and unforgettable together. 🙌 
👀 Want to bring this lesson to your own classroom? This is in my TpT store for free! The download even includes directions on creating the perfect AOL Screen Name and Away Message! 
#MillennialMuseum #PopCultureInTheClassroom #ReverseShowAndTell #AncientTech #MillennialParents #RetroRewind #MiddleSchoolMoments #HistoryIsCool #TeachersOfInstagram #Edutok #ClassroomReels #ThrowbackTeaching #90sKidsUnite #TeacherContentCreator #HistoryClassroom #HistoryTeacher

Are the 1990s now considered historic?

The viral TikTok video took many Millennials on a nostalgic trip down ‘90s memory lane, but it also felt like a bit of a shock to see the things they played with as children depicted as artifacts from a bygone era. "I love this but also hate that my childhood is a history class lesson already," one commenter wrote. “I love hate this,” another added. “Ah yes, the best way to feel old. Your childhood being taught in history class,” a commenter lamented.

Many couldn’t help but notice that Nichols bears a strong resemblance to one of the most memorable tweens of the ‘90s, Kimmy Gibbler on Full House. “I was confused. I thought you were Kimmy Gibbler then I thought you were Sabrina the Teenage Witch then I realized you're neither lol,” a commenter wrote.

It may be hard for some Millennials and younger Gen Xers to reconcile the fact that their childhoods are now historic, much like the time they were growing up and saw their parents’ train sets and vintage Barbie dolls. However, they may not have known it then, but their childhood experiences are now something worth passing on to future generations, which is a testament to their value.

“This collection in here has easily got to be worth tens of dollars. But the value. The nostalgic value is truly priceless,” Nichols finishes her video.

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Comedian nails the differences in how each generation arrives at someone's home

"Millennials will arrive late, but they will text you to let you know they're on their way, just as they're about to get into the shower."

Samuel Peter/Pexels

Boomers will knock. Loudly. At all hours.

There's no doubt that there are contrasts between the generations, as baby boomers, Gen X, millennials and Gen Z see and experience the world quite differently. While generation gaps have always existed, the tech age has widened those gaps in big ways, which sometimes creates challenges but often results in hilarity.

For instance, watching a Gen Zer try to figure out how to use a rotary phone is pure entertainment. The way emojis are used and interpreted varies vastly by age, making for some chuckle-worthy communication mishaps. Slang terms can be hard to keep up with the older you get, but they can also be manipulated by savvy elders to great comedic effect.

gen z slang, w rizz, generations, generation gap, generational differences Riz W Sign GIF Giphy

And now, comedian Jake Lambert is comparing how the different generations arrive at someone's house in a viral video that's been viewed more than 12 million times.

"You've basically got boomers who will turn up completely unannounced any time from about 7:00 in the morning and they will knock on your door just slightly louder than the police using a battering ram carrying out a house raid," Lambert begins.

"And then you've got Gen X. They would have made the plans well in advance, and they would've also checked in a couple of days before just to make sure the plans are definitely still happening," he goes on. "You see, Gen X is the forgotten generation and they're so scarred by this title they would've assumed that you'd forgotten not only about the plans but about their very existence."

"Millennials will have hoped that the plans would've been canceled. There's no reason that a millennial will ever actually want to come to your house," he continues. "They will arrive late, but they will text you to let you know they're on their way, just as they're about to get into the shower. And a millennial will never knock on your door. You'll just get a text either saying 'here' or 'outside,' and that's your cue to go and let them in."

"Similarly, Gen Z will never actually knock," he concludes. "But the chances are they won't have to, as they would have been documenting the entire journey from their house to yours, maybe even on Facetime using this angle [camera facing directly up at the chin] as they go along for some reason. Either that or they'll just send a picture of your front door or a selfie of them outside it. And again, just like the millennial, that's your cue to go and rescue them from the outside world."

gen z, selfie, generation gap, generational differences, generations Gen Z will send a selfie from outside your house as an indicator that they've arrived. Photo credit: Canva

People feel alternately seen, attacked and validated by Lambert's assessments, with the most common response being "accurate."

"I‘m a millennial, my husband GenX. Scarily accurate! 😂"

"Described this millennial to a T."

"This is surprisingly accurate 😂 I laughed slightly louder than the police using a battering ram…"

"Sooo accurate…guilty of the lateness and ‘here’ text 🙃"

"I must admit I'm a millennial. But knocking on the door feels so aggressive, uknow? 😅😇"

"Millennial texting to say almost there but just started getting dressed to go out. Why do we do this? It's not intentional, at least not for me."

millennial, ok boomer, generation gap, generational differences, generations Giphy

"Honestly your observations are just brilliant! GenX-er here!"

"The Gen Z angle omg. 😂😂"

Naturally there are some people who don't resonate with their generation's description, but there are exceptions to every rule and some people will never fit a stereotype. However, judging by the wave of affirmative responses, Lambert has nailed the generational generalities across the board—and done so in a way that allows us all to laugh at ourselves.

You can follow Jake Lambert on Instagram.

This article originally appeared last year.

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