The "Because I Said So" Parents Are Finally Getting Their Words Thrown Back At Them

“Why? I’ll tell you why, because I said so!” Sound familiar? “Because I said so,” is a staple of boomer parenting vocab. It exemplifies all of the parenting behaviors we’ve left in the past: the idea that children’s thoughts and feelings don’t matter, and that parents are always, without fail, correct.

Millennials’ parenting style has changed, and their relationships with their parents have, too. Simply put, they’re no longer standing for their boomer parents’ inconsiderate behavior — leading many to establish boundaries, and even go no contact with family members who won’t respect them.

As you might expect, or might’ve even experienced yourself, abusive boomer parents don’t exactly love being cut off by their children. But, as mom Janelle Marie pointed out on Instagram, their confusion around these boundaries is pretty ironic.

“I think it's so funny that the generation of ‘because I said so’ parents is so mad that their adult children and their spouses are holding boundaries firm and unwilling to waver on them,” Janelle said.

Boundaries for me and not for thee, it seems!

“I think it's interesting that these parents are complaining and saying that they didn't have any warning or heads up when their child chooses to distance themselves or go no contact,” Janelle continued. “If we’re being honest, we know that very often there's tons of heads up, but even if their child didn’t give them any heads up for going no contact, you were ‘because I said so’ when your child wanted explanation for one of your boundaries.”

So, basically, your parents’ rules are law in their house, but when you try to make rules of your own, as a fully grown adult, their rules... still stand? Huh?

Feels a bit hypocritical, right? The comment section agreed.

“Their issue is that they still see us as children and not as adults,” one user said.

“My husband’s parents were to be respected at all times but gave none. No matter how horrible they were,” said another.

“Oh yes the ‘cuz I said so’ and the ‘don't talk back’ parents wondering why kids don't talk to them,” another user added. “Maybe cuz every time we tried to talk or understand we were told we were somehow misbehaving.”

Well, well, well. Looks like the boomer parenting strategy backfired, didn’t it?