Things I'd do for a toddler and also for my mom:

I specifically keep her favorite snack around because she'll beeline for it and be occupied for a bit.
If I have enough prep time, I make sure there's a special activity for us to do together.

Things toddlers do that my mom also does:

Stream-of-consciousness jabber.
Ask questions that a pause to read or glean context would easily answer.
Open / touch / use / move / try to clean things that aren't nailed down.

Case in point, as I type this my adult kid's new anime figurine (not a doll, mom) had to be moved somewhere safer and my dining room smells like perfume because she just sprayed a bottle that was left on the table. WTF?

This is my dog, he is a very good boy but he can be anxious around traffic, especially buses. We are trying to get him more used to it and today we took the train to town.

Upon exiting the station two boomer women are walking behind us and pup is pulling on his lead a bit. Cue loud mouthed boomer repeatedly saying “he’s pulling like that because he’s anxious, you see the way he’s trotting, that’s because he’s anxious”. I glance over my shoulder and see her just staring holes into the back of my head, as I turn back I hear her say it again. In my best, non-confrontational, thanks for the unsolicited advice voice (like when you’re talking to a moron) I stop, turn, look her dead in the eye and say “yes I know he’s anxious that’s because he’s scared around buses” then back round and walk him on.

She’s probably still a miserable judgy cow. My guy, however, is snuggled up after a big, fun day out exploring and had a big treat when he got home.

Source: https://youtube.com/shorts/tR1SvKJrVy4?si=K0GgHO94-nC6xKj4

My 17-year-old son has longer hair, it goes past his ears and touches his shoulders. My father-in-law is always saying to him, "when are you going to cut your hair?" In a half-joking manner. The other day I'm sitting with my FIL and he said to me, "Does the school every say anything to him about his hair?" He was serious, not kidding around. My son is a senior and has a 4.4 high school GPA in AP classes, has never received a detention or anything and is in leadership. He has longer blonde hair, and a girlfriend who loves it. The FIL is 74 years old and is a staunch Trump republican and, apparently, thinks it's 1960 and there are strict grooming guidelines in public high schools in California. These boomers are their completely out of touch reality. I could go on a tirade about the much worse things he has said, but I was mowing my lawn and just thought of that incident this morning.

Source: https://youtube.com/shorts/VQn0beAAulM?si=_1fp383CRGQlhERy

My boomer in laws came by for an unexpected visit.. while my husband is out of town. Normally I have him to play interference because they both stress me tf out. I thought it was the constant political chattering that was stressing me out, but after a normal Saturday with them I still felt my nerves were shattered and kept excusing myself to the bathroom to breathe. Then I realized from across the house, the rattling of the door jambs with them laughing- it’s the volume. They both have no indoor voice and speak over the other. It’s like a lawnmower and a weedwacker going non stop. Is this loud talking a boomer thing, or are they deaf? I tried putting my AirPods in and grandpa boomer keeps yelling HELLO in my face and asking if I can hear him. Yes. I can. The neighborhood can. Jfc im gonna snap.

What is it with Boomers and personal space?

Edit: If you are here to fight or incite you will simply be blocked.

Yesterday my wife and I went shopping along with our 5 month old baby. Thanks to the protests (that I didn't find out about in time) everywhere there was an air of cooperation and just general human kindness from literally everyone we ran into but Boomers, they were more glazed over than usual. We had so many more positive interactions than usual with folks of multiple different generations and of course plenty of people commenting on the baby.

But the Boomers were lost. We had at least 3 blocking aisles, living in their own worlds, and being startled and confused when nicely asked to move. This is pretty normal but I'd say it was a little worse today. But it was at the checkout that it got weird. I still prefer a human operated checkout when I can get it, especially with the baby. Unfortunately so do the Boomers.

So we're at the checkstand, I'm first so I can get the cart unloaded and put the bags back in, the stroller was between us and my wife was at the back holding the baby. This register had no customers waiting when I showed up, another register open, and several self checkouts. No one is rushing, no lines really.

During this time Quiet Creepy Boomer Woman(QCBW) is loading her groceries up on the conveyor, seemingly just a couple cuts of meat. No one is in a hurry, no one is lining up behind her and if they are they're respectfully far enough back that she shouldn't feel rushed. I noticed she's getting a little closer than my wife or I would like, but what are you gonna do?

Well, usually nothing, but after grabbing the second to last bag I noticed that this lady is about an inch and half away from my wife and baby.

Now, my wife is a tough cookie and she can usually take care of herself but this dead eyed creepazoid just gave me a bad vibe so in my loudest voice that isn't quite a yell I said "Jesus, Wife's name, do you have any personal space over there?" And that should have taken care of it.

But QCBW didn't seem to notice that my wide eyes and loud noises were directed at her. She stayed right where she was other than a short glance around to see who I could be irritated at, couldn't possibly be her. So I moved the cart and once again used my loud voice and said "Hey, why don't you come out of there so you can have a little personal space" to my wife because at this point we're getting worried this creep is gonna try to snatch the baby or something. That rewards us with about one step back from QCBW and my wife and baby escape.

But that's not enough, we were seriously creeped out and it's a day for action. So I run my card and surprisingly she hasn't budged. The receipt was fairly long so while I was waiting for it to print I sidled up right next to this lady, close enough that I think I was actually touching her. And this is one of those gloriously long receipts with the coupons and stuff, just taking forever at the best possible moment. I got all up in her space for nearly a full minute and put my hands right on her groceries. I lightly poked and prodded her pork roast, smiled my most wolfish grin and very kindly thanked the cashier and got out. And had another great interaction in the parking lot with more non-boomers.

If she doesn't think twice before creeping on a new Mom and Baby then maybe the Lead has done too much damage. They've all been on autopilot for too long.

Why? Why are we still supporting and housing geriatric politicians? What job in the real world lets someone in their 80s keep going?

On Saturday night I took my wife's sister's husband and his FIL to see Tom Segura and Kirk Fox in OKC. The FIL is pretty vocal about being Pro-MAGA and while we've never got into a political discussion I am positive he knows where I stand politically. As we are driving past Tinker AFB on the way to the show he passed his phone up front to show us an ad about DOGE t-shirts. I just laughed it off and said yeah, I think Elon is regretting his time as a government employee lately. He went on to say to my wife's sister's husband that they should buy the T-shirts. I should point out that I am veteran who has worked for the VA for over a decade and has so far avoided getting laid off. Anyway, we attend the show (which was absolutely hilarious) and are heading back through Midwest City (Home of Tinker AFB) when the FIL points out how dead it is for a Friday night. I said yeah, that's what happens when out of touch billionaires just arbitrarily fire a couple of thousand hard working Okies in the name of "efficiency". He didn't have a response. These folks are either oblivious or heartless and in a lot of cases I think it's both.