A Gen X mom on TikTok has gone viral after ranting about her adult kids struggling to make it on their own.
And, no, the rant isn't directed toward her children.
Jessica McCabe (@that1crazy72) perfectly articulated her helplessness in supporting her adult children because the advice she was given at their age doesn't work in this day and age.
McCabe began her first video:
"I am so tired of feeling helpless as a parent."
"Yes, my kids are grown adults. My oldest is 28. My youngest is 25."
"And I thought by teaching them what I learned - which is you work hard, you get a good job, you're gonna get the things in life that you need, right - worked for me, why wouldn't it work for them?"
"Because it doesn't, because the world has f**king changed."
She went on to defend her stance, noting the difference between a healthy "struggle" and absolutely "drowning."
"I see them struggling, and before my generation comes at me, yes, I understand struggling as a part of life. We all struggle, but there's a difference between struggling and drowning."
"So we struggled, and it was tough. But you know what? We made it. We knew there was a light at the end of the tunnel with our struggle."
"It seems like kids today, no matter how much they struggle, the just get further and further down."
Preach.
McCabe said her son moved back home after graduating college just until he saved enough to move out on his own. He got a good job right away, but what was supposed to have been only a couple of months quickly turned into 10 because renting an apartment is so expensive.
She tried to point out some positives, like the fact that his car insurance rates should decrease when he turned 25, but nope, she revealed his premium went up $150.
McCabe also described an incident in which her son needed medical attention and was forced to go to the emergency room because of the insurance he carried.
She also shared her daughter worked hard to save up for a down payment on a house - which she did - but then added costs nearly drowned her, as well, as the mortgage company continued make more requirements, which equated to more money.
You can watch the full rant below.
WARNING: NSFW language
Several viewers of the video were in the same boat and completely understood McCabe's feeling of helplessness.
@that1crazy72/TikTok
@that1crazy72/TikTok
@that1crazy72/TikTok
@that1crazy72/TikTok
And others acknowledged the poor pay increases and opportunities that starkly contrast from insane inflation.
@that1crazy72/TikTok
@that1crazy72/TikTok
@that1crazy72/TikTok
@that1crazy72/TikTok
@that1crazy72/TikTok
@that1crazy72/TikTok
@that1crazy72/TikTok
McCabe responded to some comments via follow-up videos, agreeing with other points brought up by concerned viewers.
For example, one person in the comments also contributed the cost of childcare to their financial struggles.
McCabe added on to the concern by stating people who want to have families are being deprived of their dream because they can't even afford the consistently rising costs of childcare.
WARNING: NSFW language
McCabe also responded to various comments about generational living, some positive and some not so much.
But she urged people to stop putting red flags on the idea. She added that if she had known her children were going to struggle, she would have done things completely different, like saving up to help them or buying land where they could build tiny houses.
McCabe acknowledged that people in office aren't going through the same challenges and therefore aren't going to help, so we need to take it upon ourselves to help our children.
She added:
"I didn't have kids just to see them suffer."
It's tough out there. Thank you, Jessica, for recognizing that people are working hard and are still "drowning"
@kileywrestling/Bluesky
