Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Therapist Calls Out Millennial And Boomer Parents—And Each Generation's Reactions Are So Telling

Screenshots from Stephanie Lindeman's TikTok videos
@stephanne221/TikTok

Family therapist and TikToker Stephanie Lindeman didn't realize she'd conducted a social experiment until after reading how Millennial parents responded to criticism versus Boomer parents.

Make us preferred on Google

Try as they might, no parent is going to be a perfect parent 100% of the time.

The difference is the accountability a parent takes when it's pointed out to them that they have messed up.


In a series of videos, Steph the Attachment Therapist on TikTok recently offered feedback to Millennial and Boomer parents, pointing out the key behavior that could impact their relationships with their children.

And the reactions to these videos were nothing short of eye-opening.

In the first video, Steph specifically addressed Millennial parents and the key behavior she believed would "f**k up their kids."

Being the generation that grew up alongside the rise of the internet and cellphones and the dawn of social media like MySpace and Facebook, it stands to reason that a key concern for parents in this generation would be spending too much time on their phones.

The attachment therapist pointed out that children of these parents would more likely have to fight harder for attention but would likely lose to the parent's screen time, which would send the message that they were not a top priority.

You can watch the Millennial parenting video here:

@stephanne221

Parenting psychology 101: what signals are you sending your children? Signals of attunement, or rejection? It’s natural to accidentally send signals of rejection, what’s critical is the ability to attune, validate, and repair. Also, this experiment was btwn a mom and a daughter so i focus on the mom-daughter caregiving bond, but this dynamic can be present for any caregiver-carereciever relationship. #mom #parentingtips #parenting #relationships #relationship #family #millennial #millennialmom #childhood #childhoodtrauma #generationaltrauma #psychology #attachment #attachmentstyle #therapy #therapytiktok #therapytok #mentalhealth #fyp #foryou #foryoupage

Heartwarmingly, most Millennial parents commented on the video to take accountability and seeking ways to do better.

@stephanne221/TikTok

@stephanne221/TikTok

@stephanne221/TikTok

@stephanne221/TikTok

@stephanne221/TikTok

Pleased with how this video went over, Steph recorded a follow-up video, this time focusing on Boomer parents.

According to Steph, Millennial parents are likely to have distant moments with their kids because of their attachment to technology, whereas Boomer parents are likely to distance themselves from their kids because of their lack of accountability.

It's a frequent feature in the parent-child dynamic for a child to try to voice their emotions only to be shut down by their Boomer parent, with the parent deflecting their behaviors back onto their child and blaming the child for their actions. This often leads these now adult children to not emotionally share with their parents, or to even go fully no contact with them.

You can watch the Boomer parenting video here:

@stephanne221

Accountability matters and can heal relationships. If youre a parent who is serious about improving your relationship with your children, this is for you! #parentingtips #parenting #relationships #relationship #family #boomer #childhood #childhoodtrauma #psychology #therapy #attachmentstyle #millennial #fyp #foryou #foryoupage #conflict #communication #healing #kids #okboomer #mentalhealth #therapy #therapytok

True to the video, the Boomers in the comments deflected their behavior and did not take accountability.

@stephanne221/TikTok

@stephanne221/TikTok

@stephanne221/TikTok

@stephanne221/TikTok

@stephanne221/TikTok

After seeing the comments, Steph had to come back and do a video on the accidental "social experiment" she'd conducted in the comments sections of these videos.

Millennials have become known as the generation that wants to pursue therapy for self-improvement and to break generational curses, while Boomers are often seen as a generation of narcissists, because of their habits of deflecting their behaviors onto other people and otherwise calling younger people "snowflakes" for trying to do better.

It's unfortunate to see this because when the Millennial parents used Steph's video as a tool to improve their parenting, the Boomer parents just acted as examples of what Steph was talking about in her Boomer video.

After Steph posted the "social experiment" video, most of the Boomer comments in the earlier video were deleted, but she was able to screenshot some in her video.

You can watch her video about the accidental "social experiment" here:

@stephanne221

So believe it or not, i accidentally gave both millennial parents and boomer parents feedback on how they injure their children, and wowow the results say a lot 🤯😳😳 #millennial #millennialsoftiktok #millennialmom #mom #parenting #parentingtips #kids #parenting101 #psychology #socialexperiment #boomer #boomerparents #socialexperiment #therapy #therapytiktok #mentalhealth #family #communication #healing #relationships #relationship #fyp #foryou #foryourpagе

All parents are going to mess up from time to time because they're human, and that is okay.

Again, the difference is that they do what they can to correct the mistake and take accountability for their actions.

Children who see their parents be human and accountable are more likely to stay in those relationships, rather than feel like they are responsible for their parents' behavior and feelings.

Definitely some food for thought.

More from Trending

Amy Poehler; Matt Damon
Good Hang with Amy Poehler/YouTube

Viral Clip Of Amy Poehler Masterfully Avoiding Complimenting 'The Odyssey' While Interviewing Matt Damon Has Fans Impressed

Christopher Nolan's adaptation of The Odyssey has been on everyone's minds since it hit theaters, with many people seeing it multiple times and being incredibly impressed with its artistry, acting, and music.

But it seems that actor and comedian Amy Poehler may not have been that swept away by the adaptation of the epic poem.

Keep ReadingShow less
Donald Trump; a Domino's Pizza location
Saul Loeb/Pool/AFP via Getty Images; Peter Dazeley/Getty Images

White House's Attempt To Piggyback Off Of A Domino's Pizza Meme Backfires Spectacularly—And The Jokes Are Delicious

The White House was mocked almost immediately after its social media team repurposed a tweet from Domino's Pizza to promote President Donald Trump and his administration.

The UK division for Domino's recently shared a viral post in which it declared something—namely its pizza—"starts with D and never disappoints."

Keep ReadingShow less
Eva Mendes; Ryan Gosling; Johnny Depp
Gotham/GC Images/Getty Images; Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images; Hoda Davaine/Red Sea International Film Festival/Getty Images

Eva Mendes Slams AI-Generated Image Of Husband Ryan Gosling And Johnny Depp—And We're Obsessed

Hitch and 2 Fast 2 Furious star Eva Mendes isn't going to let anything slide when it comes to husband Ryan Gosling's reputation, and she's not going to let AI slop go by undetected, either.

Last weekend was San Diego's giant annual Comic-Con, with big reveals about what to expect next in the entertainment industry, including Ryan Gosling's official casting as Ghost Rider in an upcoming Marvel film, which was announced during the MCU panel centered around Avengers: Doomsday in Hall H.

Keep ReadingShow less
Glen Hansard
Luciano Viti/Getty Images

Celebrity Tributes Come Pouring In For 'Once' Star Glen Hansard After His Tragic Death In Motorcycle Accident—And Fans Are Heartbroken

Irish musician and Oscar-winning performer Glen Hansard has tragically passed away at the age of 56 after a motorcycle accident in Dublin, Ireland.

Hansard was best known for the 2007 Oscar-winning film Once, which went on to win eight Tony Awards for its Broadway adaptation. He also received an Oscar for Best Original Song for his single "Falling Slowly."

Keep ReadingShow less
Keira Knightley; Donald Sutherland
Vanity Fair; Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic/Getty Images

Resurfaced Video Of Keira Knightley's 'Funny' Story About Working With Donald Sutherland Sparks Debate

Keira Knightley, despite having major roles in films like Pirates of the Caribbean, Atonement, and Pride & Prejudice, has spent most of her career operating under the radar when it comes to controversy.

That's changed now that a clip from an interview opposite Rosamund Pike for Vanity Fair resurfaced last weekend.

Keep ReadingShow less