Family Matters

september and the sandwich generation

Wendy Webb, Editor

In this issue, along with listing the top lawyers in the region as voted on by their peers, we’re highlighting topics of concern to families, especially to those of us who are in the “sandwich generation,” an aptly-termed description of people like me who are sandwiched between aging parents and growing children.

I’m incredibly lucky — my parents are healthy, happy and kicking up their heels enjoying retirement to its fullest. But I have friends who are wondering whether it’s time to find care for their increasingly frail parents, and how best to broach that difficult subject. We’ve got some sound advice for people dealing with those issues.

If you’re in the sandwich generation, it seems that it’s all about having difficult conversations. If it’s not talking to your parents about end-of-life issues, it’s setting boundaries for ever-growing children who want to push the envelope and spread their wings, and enforcing those boundaries in the face of sometimes very loud objections.

The other slice of my particular sandwich, my teenage son, is making a nice career out of worrying his mother with boundary-pushing. Saying “no” to teenagers isn’t going to win parents any popularity contests — believe me, I’ve learned that first-hand— but what I always tell my son is: I’m not here to be a friend, I’m not here to be the “cool” parent, and I’m not here to see to it his every whim is satisfied. I’m here to guide, shape, protect and love him by using my best judgment in regard to how deeply he can wade into the pool of independence.

Also in this issue, don’t miss the beautiful photos of the second-annual Discover Me winner, pictured on our cover. It’s a modeling contest held yearly by local photographer Mark Fitzgibbons. Pretty shots!

In our Savor section, be sure to read about the recently-opened Takk for Maten/Kippis Tapas Bar on Superior Street. It’s Scandinavian fusion, so to speak. By day, the restaurant features Norwegian fare. By night, its transformed into a hip and happening hotspot offering small Finnish plates — fish, cheeses, flatbreads and other goodies — along with great wine, beer and Finnish cocktails. It’s a fun place that’ll have you coming back for more.