You swore it would never happen.
You rolled your eyes at their habits, vowed to do things differently, and confidently declared that you’d never become that person. Then, somewhere along the line, something changed, and now? You’re catching yourself saying things that sound suspiciously like your mum. Or folding laundry in a way that gives you déjà vu. If these signs hit a little too close to home, it’s official—you might be morphing into your Boomer parents, whether you meant to or not.
1. You now get genuine joy from a good deal.
Where you once laughed at your parents for saving 30p with a loyalty card, you now proudly announce your bargain wins to anyone who will listen. There’s an unexpected rush that comes with saying, “It was half price!” Saving money has become less of a chore and more of a game. You catch yourself comparing prices across supermarkets and muttering things like, “I’m not paying that for broccoli.” Welcome to the club.
2. You find yourself saying, “Were you born in a barn?” unironically.
Maybe it slipped out when someone left the door wide open. Or when a light was left on in an empty room. Either way, the classic parental catchphrases are making a comeback—straight out of your own mouth. You hear yourself and cringe slightly, but also… you kind of stand by it. The heating isn’t free. The lights don’t switch themselves off—and honestly, you’re just trying to run a civilised household here.
3. You get weirdly excited about bins going out on time.
Once a week, you feel a deep sense of accomplishment when you remember bin day without being reminded. Even better? Getting them out the night before. Elite-level adulting. This tiny domestic victory feels like proof that you’ve got your life together. Never mind the unread emails or emotional spirals—your recycling is where it should be, and that’s something your Boomer parents would be proud of.
4. You’ve developed strong, unexplained opinions about home appliances.
Whether it’s your kettle, your vacuum, or your washing machine’s spin cycle, you now care deeply about performance and reliability. You’ve recommended your toaster to someone. It happened. You never thought you’d be someone who raves about white goods, but here you are, giving enthusiastic feedback on dishwashers like a Which? subscriber. It’s practical. It’s satisfying. It’s very… parent-coded behaviour.
5. You can’t relax if there are dishes in the sink.
Back in the day, you could leave plates to soak for hours—or days. These days, that fork sitting alone in the sink suddenly feels like a personal attack on your peace. There’s a weird internal pressure to keep things “nice” even when no one’s coming over. Cleaning the kitchen before bed isn’t just a chore anymore; it’s how you calm your nervous system. Very Boomer-core of you.
6. You watch the news and actually have thoughts about it.
Remember when the news was background noise for your parents, and you tuned it out completely? Now, you’re voluntarily watching it, and occasionally yelling at the screen like they did. You have opinions on housing policy. Interest rates. The weather, in frankly unnecessary detail. You’re becoming the person who reads the headlines before scrolling Instagram, and part of you likes it.
7. You’ve become very attached to “your” supermarket.
You used to pop in wherever was convenient. Now you have a preferred supermarket, and you will defend it with your whole chest. The layout, the points system, the reduced section—it just feels right. You even get mildly irritated when they rearrange the aisles. You don’t want surprises. You want your usual oats in the usual spot. That sense of loyalty means your Boomer parents taught you well.
8. You get irrationally annoyed when people mess with your thermostat.
In your youth, you didn’t understand why your parents were so precious about the heating. Now, someone turning the thermostat without permission feels like a direct challenge to your entire existence. You monitor it like a hawk. You calculate cost per hour. You mumble things like “Just put on a jumper” under your breath. Somewhere in the background, your Boomer dad is nodding with approval.
9. You suddenly like going to garden centres “just to look.”
Garden centres used to feel like punishment. Now you find yourself browsing plants you can’t pronounce and admiring patio furniture with genuine interest. You might even treat yourself to a traybake in the café. It’s peaceful. It smells like compost and coffee. And if you’ve recently caught yourself thinking, “I could spend all day here,” just know you’ve reached a new, Boomer-aligned phase of life.
10. You say things like “I can’t have caffeine this late” and mean it.
The rebellious version of you that once downed energy drinks at midnight is long gone. Now, you actively plan your caffeine intake around your bedtime, and you talk about it like it’s a serious health strategy. You politely decline a 4 p.m. coffee with, “I’ll never sleep if I do,” and part of you knows this is what your parents used to say. At the time, it sounded ridiculous. Now, it just sounds… sensible.
