The sandwich generation I recently skyped with an American friend of mine. We discussed about the sandwich generation. Well, I don't know if it makes sense to you. The sandwich generation is mine. In

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Cinzia

The sandwich generation I recently skyped with an American friend of mine. We discussed about the sandwich generation. Well, I don't know if it makes sense to you. The sandwich generation is mine. In fact I am between an elder one, my mother who lives with me and whom I care about, and a younger one, my children who give me a lot of hard work and worries, although they are growing up or maybe just for that. I haven't ever heard about this way to call it but it really works, in my opinion.

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The sandwich generation

I recently skyped with an American friend of mine. We discussed the sandwich generation. Well, I don't know if that makes sense to you. The sandwich generation is mine. (Or "I belong to the ...." ) In fact I am between an older ("elder" is possible, but is usually reserved for descriptions of a brother or sister I think, or at least of a person or people) one, my mother who lives with me and whom I care for ("care about" means to have feelings for, care what happens to ; "care for" means to take care of, to give physical and emotional help to), and a younger one, my children, who give me a lot of hard work and worries, although they are growing up - or maybe just for that reason. I hadn't (but now you have, so past perfect is better I think) ever heard about this way of describing it, but it really works, in my opinion.

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/grammar/british-grammar/elder-eldest-or-older-oldest

https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/difference-between-elder-eldest-and-older-oldest

https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/care+about

https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/care+for

The sandwich generation

I recently Skyped with an American friend of mine. We discussed about the sandwich generation. Well, I don't know if that term makes sense to you. My generation is the/a sandwich generation: I am taking care of people of two generations, one older than mine and one younger. In fact I am between an elder one, my mother who lives with me and whom I care for, (better: who I'm taking care of) and a younger one, my children who are the source of a lot of hard work and worries, although they are growing up or maybe just for that. I hadn't ever heard of this expression to describe my generation but it really works, in my opinion.

note:

discuss something
talk about something

Hi Alyssa. Thank you for better explaining it to me. I got it.

Cinzia, The "sandwich generation" (in American culture) is the generation that is caring for aging and elderly parents while also caring for their own children, much like you just described. Think of an actual sandwich - bread (top layer, aging parents), meats and cheeses (middle layer, you), and bread (bottom layer, younger generation/your kids/siblings) We have what is called "multi-generational" households where the grandparents, parents, siblings, and sibling's children all live in the same house. Generally, we don't look at this as the ideal situation while in many other cultures this is a normal example of family life. I know it is confusing as in this context English uses the word "sandwich" as a verb as opposed to a noun. I hope this is helpful.

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