Navigating the Intersection of Midlife in Generation X Style
Is the sandwich of teen + adult children + elderly relatives a negative for me and other Gen Xers?
Generation X is now firmly in midlife. This group is defined as those born between 1965 and 1980, making the youngest roughly 44 years of age. Gen X began their own families, on average, in their late 20s to early 30s due to educational and career shifts that occurred within their upbringing.
This means that many of us in middle age are in what psychology refers to as the sandwich generation. We care for adolescent/college/adult children at the same time that the needs of our parents (and other elderly relatives) begin to develop.
What does this look like?
The care on both ends can be a mix of financial, emotional, and logistical support. As our parents age, they may need more logistical help with sorting out medications, grocery shopping, or just driving to complete errands. Everywhere we turn this is taking shape from my friend delivering dinner to her in-laws on a rotating schedule to helping those returning from replacement surgeries run errands.
Our adult children may still need help financially due to the nationwide increase in the cost of rent as they…
