Perks of Sandwich Generation

 I talk about the topic on behalf of my personal views and thoughts, different experiences and perspectives may be found by other people.

Here is the definition of sandwich generation in general (source Wikipedia.com) :

 The sandwich generation is a group of middle-aged adults who care for both their aging parents and their own children. It is not a specific generation or cohort in the sense of the Greatest Generation or the Baby boomer generation, but a phenomenon that can affect anyone whose parents and children need support at the same time.

 

This issue is spreading as a negative connotation rather than praise of the person. In order to be a responsible adult, like getting married and having children. Someone must support their parents, not only financially but also in affection and caring service. Especially, when their parents are too old to live independently and have chronic health problems.

On the other hand, the culture of being a sandwich generation is very common in some countries. Such as Asian, yeah. I can mention one of the strongest family-tied community. The circle have many rules and mandatories to follow. Only a small number can take the risk to escape from the custom. The decision not to be attached to the family gives consequences, like being expelled from their culture and being separated as an individual person.

Let’s get back to the main topic. The sandwich generation is usually at productive age. They work hard to fulfill the whole family needs. Any kind of other factor like under-privilege, poverty, orphan status, and broken-family are several of background someone can be in the circumstances. By knowing the factor, we can understand better and try to be more empathy to other people. Grateful for the uncounted blessing from God.

The idea of being sandwich generation and still walk sanely in the pathway will be challenging. Especially for unstable mental health and under-poverty people. I assume most of my readers are adult enough to understand. How hard the pressure is becoming an adult. We have to manage our job professionally, take care of our family, and fulfill society’s expectation. The expectation not only about the common lifestyle, but also the idea of an ideal adult be.

In my real life, I am a young unmarried woman. People looked at the status as a less-valued human than a married one. I also haven’t had any property and living under my parent’s house. Most of people make assumption your low capability to be the human. In my opinion, I am good enough to be myself. I work hard, I study and build my dream, I take care my family, I have saving, and I share my behalf of income with my parent. I have to support my parent to pay my little sister’s education and medication for my father.

You can put me as a sandwich generation as well, but fortunately I haven’t built my own family yet. No matter how, the ratio of self-sufficiency and sharing for the demand must be equal. It’s not mean to be 50:50. So, you can categorize the amount as gift. You know, a gift can be 20-30% of your income. Unless, you are not willing to make saving for bright future, the higher percentage amount will be available.

Setting boundaries and being discipline of your-self and your family sounds very hard. It’s a sentimental issue to having discussion about money with the older generation. We must encourage ourselves as patrons to be stronger and resilient.

 

MONEY CAN’T BUY HAPPINESS, BUT IT CAN BUY THE NEED OF YOUR IDEA TO BE HAPPY

 

That’s all my brainstorming of journey to be sandwich generation. Communication and budgeting strategy are the keys you can manage the wellbeing of good circle.