TikTok has become more than just a place to see funny videos or participate in dance challenges. The app’s videos cover everything from fashion to politics to psychiatry. A new video from TikTok’s “Cursing Counselor” is giving users an answer to why many Gen Xers don’t want to take on the responsibility of caring for their aging parents.
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‘Cursing Counselor’ Discusses ‘Basically Feral’ Gen X Kids
The Cursing Counselor, also known as Janet, posts videos that cover topics like emotional neglect, forgiveness, accountability, and resentment. She typically factors in the Gen X experience when discussing these issues. In one of her latest videos, Janet covered the topic of Gen X adults taking care of their aging parents.
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“I’m Gen X,” she started. “In my generation, we were basically feral. We sort of raised ourselves. Our parents were very busy doing their own things—lots of working parents, especially newly working parents—and so, we were latchkey kids.”
She admitted that, while “problematic,” working parents leaving children on their own was “unavoidable.” However, Janet went on to say that the “emotional neglect” was what really stuck with Gen Xers.
Counselor: ‘We Were Not Taken Care Of, But Now We Are Expected To Take Care Of’
“We came home from school, we made our own dinners a lot of times, nobody really checked our homework or helped us with school or anything like that, because again, they were really busy,” Janet explained. “We didn’t have a lot of people to talk to, or our emotions were not seen as important.”
These issues of emotional neglect are now resurfacing as Gen Xers are faced with the reality of their aging parents. “Now our parents are older and they need us,” she said. “And many of us are struggling because we were not taken care of, but now we are expected to take care of, and that’s creating a lot of issues.”
Viewer Reactions: ‘Yes My Parents Need Me—I Don’t Want To Help Them’
The Cursing Counselor’s words clearly resonated with many of her viewers. “Yes!” one person commented. “It’s all emotional, yes my parents need me—I don’t want to help them. I keep telling myself I’m not guilty for not helping. Don’t come for me.” Another wrote, “This is my life right now! My mom was never really a mom (raised by grandma) but now mom has to live with me. I have so much rage for her I can’t cope!”
Though this hasn’t been a universal experience for Gen Xers, The Cursing Counselor’s Gen X-specific videos are connecting with viewers. It seems like many people who watched this clip are happy to hear that others feel the same way they do about caring for aging parents.