Previously, ‘working’ meant physically going to an office and spending 8-10 hours there. But ever since the pandemic began, we now have a new definition for ‘going to work’. Now, it’s more like ‘sitting for work’ in front of your laptops in your room. Hence, it might be difficult for older generations to grasp and accept this new idea.
Many young people online are complaining about how their parents don’t acknowledge them working or getting tired at the end of the day as they are working from home.
I don't understand how my mum sees me working from home and somehow interprets it as me not working? just got told to go and clean instead of staring at the computer. cheers mum 👍
— hajar (@zamarudd) September 7, 2021
Some revealed how their parents and grandparents often barge into their rooms while they are at a meeting. Others also shared being asked to do chores while at work.
When I stayed with my parents last year for a week my mum thought I was sulking in my room when I was working, kept gingerly knocking on the door asking if I felt OK to come downstairs for cake.
— Claire Vaughan she/her 〓〓 🏳️🌈🏴🎬 (@pixieglas) September 8, 2021
For years my parents and siblings will send me job searches. I make a pretty good living but as I work from home they assume I need a job
— Soledad Vázquez (@comprasSoleV) September 8, 2021
“You’re not working you’re just on a computer all day, you can’t complain about being tired”
— laim (@lyeuhm) September 7, 2021
My mums like “hoover this room for me please” or finds reasons to enter the room when I’m on a zoom call. She also enjoys trying to talk to me when I’m clearly on the phone with a customer. Mums don’t give a fuuuuuck
— Rob (@Mohawke94) September 7, 2021
A few expressed how their parents think they didn’t work as hard since they work from home.
OMG THANK YOU! I thought I was the only one that had this issue 😂😂 every so often I hear how I have it easy and how I shouldn’t be exhausted because I’m not doing any manual work… I’m not even going to try and explain mental burn out to mum 😭😭😭
— Safeera Sarjoo (@SafeeraSarjoo) September 7, 2021
1/2 I’m a nurse. I’m home based. Some of my work is done from home – not all- I do go out to work too. My patch is 30 miles away. My husband and daughters often comment about me ‘not going to work’. 🤷♀️
— KPicks (@KPicks65) September 8, 2021
Literally my mum. “Can you cut some onions” “talk to this person on the phone” “mop the floor” mother I am working 😭
— hi I (@jamdoughnutss) September 7, 2021
🤣🤣🤣 My mum would be the same in fairness if I could WFH or lived in her house. She just wouldn’t grasp the concept and would be interrupting me with nonsense or making unnecessary noise.
— Catherine Yeboah 🇬🇭 (@catyeboah) September 8, 2021
My uncle brought me a plate of food whilst I was on zoom with my boss. He then proceeded to sit down and ask her about her family history 🙃
— 奇欣 (@AuntieFari) September 8, 2021
I’m from the generation where I attended college online and also stated working recently(online) . My mum thinks it’s just like college, I don’t work and just keeps interrupting me and assigning me work 🙅♂️
— sid💫 (@sidddtweets) September 8, 2021
When I was working from my parents’ last year mum would keep coming in and talking at me and then accuse me of being in a bad mood when I didn’t answer. She also couldn’t understand why I couldn’t immediately drop everything to help carry some random delivery through haha.
— Michael Hester (@MikeHester88) September 8, 2021
This was me and my mum but with online uni. “You have so much free time I see you! You do nothing all day!” Actually mum I don’t between studying 2 hours a day and working, I barely have any free time
— Phoebe (@phoebeizabella2) September 8, 2021
Yes! Every day – parents: so what are you up to today? Me: work. Them: Ok so like ALL day? Me: Pretty much. Them: I was just thinking that you could go help me pick out furniture for the guest room in town 1 hour away. You think you could do that? Me: Not really. Them: sad face.
— Wanting better (@cschneider8224) September 9, 2021
Exactly! Im in the same situation it’s also mentally tiring at the end of the day, but they never seem to understand!
— El18 UTD📌 (@elm182) September 8, 2021
On one hand, it is understandable that elders find it difficult to understand how intellectually demanding WFH can be. On the other hand, it is also annoying when one is constantly interrupted and not taken seriously. Well, I think maybe we should sit down with our elders and have a healthy discussion.
What do you think? Tell us!