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So @BridgieCasey stirred the boomer hornet nest, talking about home ownership. And I'd like to take that convo in a bit of a personal direction. I am the Gen X mom of two young Millenials.
Most of my kids' peers have Boomer parents. They have friends and acquaintances whose parents have paid for their university. For all their living expenses. For apartments close to campus.
Meanwhile, my husband and I barely scraped into home ownership. We have debt. We have been poor, not broke, for most of our adult lives.
We went without so much, so our kids could at least have the experiences, if not the "things" that their friends did. And we did so happily! My kids are the pride and the joy of my life.
But every time I think about how my kids are struggling with the same poverty that we did, I feel such shame and guilt.
My parents COULD have helped us into the RE market, but they didn't. They prioritized a very comfortable retirement, with multiple international trips every year.
The help they did give us, in times of desperation and shame, came with such strings attached. I thought I ruined their lives for years, because I needed help. I was the failure.
And, tbh, I still feel like a failure because I can't CHOOSE to help my girls. I can't pay for their university. I can't pay their rent. We're still digging out ourselves.
And when boomers jump in to tell younger folks that they are doing finances wrong, it fucking hurts. I want the choices my parents had. I want to help my kids. And I can't. It's personal. And it's awful.
Don't tell me I am a failure. I know. Every time I look at my strong, beautiful, intelligent daughters, behind the proverbial 8-ball, I fucking know.
A note: This is a deeply personal thread, and if you want to turn it into a "Bridget Casey sucks" festival, FUCK YOU. I will hide replies and block. How fucking dare you come into my thread about my love for my kids and turn it into your own little 5 minute hate. Go fuck yourself
