Last night, I made a portion of Twitter really mad. I'm sure some thought I was posting 'rage bait' for engagement, but it truly was not. At first, I was responding to a opinion piece by Bethany Mandel about grandparents and how they owe their grandchildren nothing. Bethany hosts a podcast and her co-host disagreed with her take (rightly, in my eyes). I decided to wade into the debate.
It’s fight club over at @TheMomWars today about boomers and childcare.
— Bethany S. Mandel (@bethanyshondark) July 23, 2025
Here @karakclairmont is wrong: https://t.co/X8OqbxX4V3 pic.twitter.com/yxKSN5JQDF
I RARELY disagree with @bethanyshondark but @karakclairmont is so right on this one. Boomers moving to over 55 communities to square dance and whatever else they do (ahem, the Villages) is weird and irresponsible behavior. It’s letting down your family and society. https://t.co/tcyX0qR2H2
— Just Mindy 🐊 (@just_mindy) July 23, 2025
I find it peculiar that people over 55 are increasingly forming exclusive communities, distancing themselves from their families. It feels like they're trying to recapture the carefree camaraderie of childhood summer camp, which they may have missed out on. However, unlike kids who enjoy a few weeks of fun with peers before returning to family life, these adults are choosing to stay in their insulated communities for years, if not decades.
Grandparents are SUPPOSED to have a meaningful part in the upbringing of their grandkids (parents need to not be overbearing weirdos and allow grandparents to enjoy their grandkids, as well). This notion of retiring at 65 and then flouncing around with no responsibilities is…
— Just Mindy 🐊 (@just_mindy) July 23, 2025
No age automatically exempts anyone from contributing to their community. Retirement offers a valuable opportunity to deepen connections with family, engage with your faith community, and actively participate in local initiatives.
I follow these two young women on Instagram who are sisters. One of them has three kids, and one of them has four kids. Their parents used to be really involved with the grandkids until about two or three years ago, when they sold their business, and now they just travel all over…
— Just Mindy 🐊 (@just_mindy) July 23, 2025
I’m frustrated by a couple I follow who constantly share Instagram reels of themselves lounging by pools with fancy drinks, playfully teasing their kids and grandkids back home. They portray their family’s daily life as mundane drudgery while they enjoy exotic locales. They see their grandkids only a few times a year for brief visits, relying on social media and FaceTime for connection the rest of the time. Their lifestyle looks glamorous, but it feels hollow and self-centered. Instead of being present—making memories with their grandkids, supporting their children’s marriages by offering them time alone, or engaging in family life—they’ve chosen to distance themselves. Traveling as a couple is wonderful, and they could easily take several trips a year while staying deeply involved with their family. But by prioritizing escape, they risk straining those bonds. What happens when they’re 80 and need their family’s support? If their kids and grandkids feel disconnected, they might not be there. Even with ample funds for long-term care, oversight from loved ones is crucial for quality, as I learned when my own father was ill.
I agree with Mindy and Kara. God designed us to live in families, which include people of all ages. https://t.co/7oc3U15j4L
— Jenna Ellis 🐊 (@realJennaEllis) July 23, 2025
These same boomers are gonna be pissed when things in their life go to crap and it would be nice to have their kids & grands around and they don’t show up…
— KeithH (@kch50014) July 23, 2025
That will be a wake up call.
It's a uniquely American boomer thing. No other generation was like this.
— Ryan Duff (@ryancduff) July 23, 2025
Go visit the Villages or other retirement communities in the south and you'll find people who really want nothing to do with their kids or grandkids. It's wild. (and sad)
I can confirm %1000 after seeing both parents-in-law in nursing care over a period of years. The ONLY residents, writ large, who receive even the minimum of care all of us expect are the residents who have family visit there AT LEAST every other day to ensure levels of care. https://t.co/GufgtBu1G6
— PoliticalRuss3 (@PoliticalRuss3) July 23, 2025
My parents ran away to Florida rather than allowing me to build them a home on my land, now all they do is complain about never seeing their grandkids
— illmachine (@illMachine) July 3, 2025
As a Floridian, I’ve witnessed the heartbreaking consequences of this choice. Too often, we’ve helped neighbors who moved here, leaving their families behind, only to find themselves stranded when serious illness strikes. With no loved ones nearby, they rely on neighbors or rideshare apps for doctor’s visits and groceries, and some face their final days alone. It’s a devastating way to end a life. Cherish your family, nurture those bonds, and keep them close—because when you need them most, they’ll be there to support you in return.
