In this episode of the A Welcome Grace Podcast, we are flipping the script on being part of the Sandwich Generation and no, I’m not talking peanut butter and jelly. Do you have children under the age of 18 in your home? Do you also have parents over the age of 65? If you answered yes to both questions, then you are part of the ever-growing Sandwich Generation. Welcome to the club.
Flipping the Script on the Sandwich Generation
The Sandwich Generation is made up of those people between the ages of approximately 40 and 59 who have living parents over the age of 65 and dependent children under the age of 18. So, in essence, the sandwich generation is not a chronological one (like Baby Boomers, Millennials, and GenXers) but more of an experiential one.
Also, this whole topic makes me feel really old. But I guess that’s neither here nor there in the long run.
In this episode of the podcast, my guest Dr. MaryRuth Hackett and I break down the whole concept of the Sandwich Generation and flip the script on what it can and does mean in our lives. Dr. Hackett also leaves us with some encouragment and super practical tips on how to thrive in this often stressful season of life.
Topics covered in today’s episode include:
- the difference between our chronological generation and our experiential generation (GenX versus Sandwich Generation)
- how our relationships with our children can relate to those with our parents, but also how different they are by necessity
- steps we can take to diffuse the stressful conversations we have with our aging parents
Who is Dr. MaryRuth Hackett?
Dr. Hackett is a podcaster, blogger, aspiring writer, wife, and mother of four kids ages 9-17 living in Arizona. She holds a PhD in Educational Psychology and has a passion for helping others understand human development. Her podcast, Parenting Smarts, is a production of the Diocese of Phoenix. Both her podcast and her writings weave together practical family life, research on child development, and Catholic teaching with the goal of helping moms and dads embrace their vocations at home and excel at parenting.
Quick Links from the Episode
Pew Research Center study on the Sandwich Generation
Follow MaryRuth on Instagram
Listen to Parenting Smarts podcast
Read MaryRuth’s blog, Parenting with Peer Review
Listen in!
Did you know that the best way you can encourage and help a new podcaster is by rating and reviewing their show on your favorite podcast player? Even more than that, though, is sharing the content so others can listen, too! It’s a personal touch that means a whole lot.
You can find A Welcome Grace Podcast with Beth Williby on Apple, Spotify, or your other favorite podcast player. Thank you!!
