When Boomers Become Grandparents: Don't call us "Granny" or "Gramps"

One of the unexpected attributes of the current grandbaby boom is what baby boomers want their grandchildren to call them. Despite having children who now have children, today's boomers don't see themselves as old--and they certainly don't want to be stereotyped as such.

While many people are happy with the old appellations, Granny, Gramps, Bubbe and Zayde just won't do for this group, with their toned bodies, plastic surgery and youthful outlooks. How about Grand-dude?

(According to AARP), Boomers often feel alienated and even offended when they are stereotyped as old and their grand kids are no exception. That's why some are asking to be called Glamma and Granbob.

Experts in aging say boomers will play their grandparent roles differently from previous generations. And some of them waited so long to have their own children that they will be very old indeed by the time their kids have kids. But just as many boomers were so involved hovering over their own children that they earned the name "helicopter parents," they will insert themselves in their grandchildren's lives in new ways as well.

Of course like everything else that boomers do their actions are without charges of self-indulgence and some children of baby boomers are perplexed and even annoyed that their parents bring such obsessions even with their grand kids.

What do you think? By breaking with tradition are boomers being individualistic or is it just vanity?

Source: Wall Street Journal and this story