While there are certainly things that I would like to improve about myself, and, about my life, when it comes to making New Year’s Resolutions, I don’t always know where to begin.
But, as far as resolutions pertaining to the topic of me being in the Sandwich Generation go, there’s one thing I want to learn to do: accept things the things I can’t change.
When my mother was sick, I spent a lot of time worrying about various scenarios, and outcomes. It’s just the way I am. Each time I’d get myself worked up about something, my husband would try to …read more

I just realized I’m doing something that’s either brilliant or warped.
Like many people, my father is a big e-mail forwarder. I accept it because, well, he’s actually using e-mail, and, his place of employment is probably pretty good about that.
I have been unconsciously monitoring the dates and times of his e-mails noting when he’s home, how late he stays up, and, since he’s had a cold, if he has been going to work. Sure, I could just call him, and, we speak about every other day, but, it just made me laugh when I realized what I was doing.

Pat at Sometimes I Feel Like a Piece of Bologna, writes about the importance of attending medical appointments with you aging parent:
And of course, my parents’ generation tend to hold physicians in awe, so if the doctor says they’re OK, they must be.
But if I’m there and ask the same question, it gets attention. And if I ask for a test, x-ray or treatment, they’ll often agree.
I didn’t really think to go with my mother when she was still driving, but, I went a lot after she stopped since I was the one taking her.
I can say that the doctors …read more

I can’t imagine:
There’s no doubt that Brenda Rice is part of the sandwich generation. Make that a triple-decker sandwich.
In addition to caring for her mother, who has severe dementia, Brenda baby-sits daily for her year-old grandson. On top of that, her 17-year-old son still lives at home.
I was going to say, “I don’t see how she does it”, but, I know when people have said that to me, it just seems so odd. Everyone has their own reality, and, sure, there are times when it’s really, really hard. But, you just do it.
What other choice is …read more

I got to see an old friend yesterday, she lives far away and I haven’t seen her in years.
We had a great time catching up, and, then I realized the reason for her visit. Her father is ill, they don’t know what’s wrong, and, it doesn’t sound too good. With a small child at home, she is just beginning this familiar (to me) journey of the unknown. Her father and my mother were friends, too.
Somewhere along the line, when my mother was so sick, I was trying to find something good about it all, and, I told myself that I …read more

With the holiday season coming up quickly, I know that this time of year might be hard since my mother died.
I have been thinking about the approaching season in vague terms, making a mental note to put “deal emotionally with holidays”, but, I haven’t really done much else.
Imagine my surprise when, Halloween, the questionable member of the “holiday” clan, got me.
We took the kids Trick or Treating at my dad’s house as has been our custom for years. While sitting there in his living room watching the kids play and trade candy, it was so glaring that my mother wasn’t …read more

This evening, when I realized just what a cliche I have become, I thought of you guys and decided I should write something.
Some of you may be following the saga over at my other place, but, essentially, my father’s back is getting worse and worse. As a matter of fact, he can’t walk and is using a wheelchair right now.
He had an epidural steroid injection on Wednesday that, so far is no help, but, we’ll see. He’s missed 3 days of work (he teaches high school) which never happens.
I had no idea he missed work, despite the fact that I …read more

A variation of the “Sandwich Generation” is the “Dagwood”. It’s a triple decker sandwich where someone might be caring for a grandchild, a child, and, a parent all at the same time.
I couldn’t imagine, but, I know there are many people out there who are doing it, and, it could be me someday. It’s easy to look at that as a huge stressor, and, often it may be, but, I really liked this columnist’s take on the situation where she finds herself as a Dagwood, a helicopter parent, and, a member of the “boomerang” club.

Peter Kua at Radicalhop.com raises some interesting questions about responsibility to aging parents and how society has changed.
Look at the 2 reasons for doing away with your bone-creaking, wheelchair bound parents in today’s culture:
An “social” burden. Unfortunately, there are loads of kids in this category. There are many of you who just can’t be bothered repaying the care your parents provided you. You have an important career and make good money. You have high society friends. But you are simply too preoccupied with your social engagements that your aging parents have become an inconvenience to you. At times, you’re even …read more

The Human Resources Blog has an interesting entry regarding the changing demographics of the workforce resulting from the pop-cuturally named Sandwiched Boomers, independent Generation X-ers, and, the Generation Y-ers, the chidren of “Helicopter Parents“. It received so much activity that they even did a follow-up to it.
I’m not sure what I would do if I were a hiring manager and got a call from the parents of an adult job candidate!