Becoming a parent prompts you to reflect on the decisions your own parents made when you were younger. While there might be plenty of wonderful rituals you want to embrace (think: comfort meals or sweet morning rituals), there might also be some rules that you'd rather not pass down, as perfectly illustrated by TikTok user Christal Luster (@christalluster).
Luster's viral video discusses a Facebook post by creator Taylor Drayton asking people which unserious "generational curses" they're breaking, with Drayton sharing her own example: "I throw away stained Tupperware, and we open more than one box of cereal at a time." In the TikTok, Luster shared the generational curse she's breaking: "I don't save every plastic bag that I bring home."
But what exactly is a generational curse, and what does it mean to break one?
What is a generational curse?
While the term "generational curse" has more serious biblical roots, the phrase has taken on a new, lighthearted meaning on social media.
In this modern definition, you can think of generational curses as the arbitrary rules adopted by your parents or grandparents. They're the random, silly or outdated practices you grew up with and don't want to pass on (like not saving every plastic bag you bring home).
@christalluster Not all heroes wear capes ?? #reactionvids #funnycomments #blackpeoplebelike ? original sound - Christal Luster
Generational curses parents want to break
Luster's TikTok (which has over 700,000 views and counting!) and Drayton's Facebook post encouraged thousands of others — including countless parents — to weigh in on the generational curses they're breaking:
- "My kids do not have to clear their plates to get up," wrote TikToker @queenl_o_l.
- "I let my kids ask me a million questions, and I try to answer them without the 'because I said so,'" commented TikToker @dulcec.vargas.
- "I let my kids be grumpy/snarky in the mornings. I'm not nice when I wake up either," wrote @bookishadultish on TikTok.
- "I keep the fridge open while I decide what I want," shared TikToker @goldenretriever.life.
- "I wear pajamas all day sometimes and so do my kids, and I refuse to feel or make them feel guilty!" commented TikToker @msfosterisall.
- "My child will probably never receive a perfect attendance award because if my child wakes up and she's having a bad mental health day [or] she's not feeling well, she's not going," shared TikToker @24kbymarie in a stitched video.
- "I ask what my kids want for dinner instead of expecting them to eat what I want," @simplymejassy wrote on TikTok.
- "I don't yell at my kids if their room is messy," TikToker @LadyChexMex commented. "And you know what? Eventually they clean it all on their own."
- "We don't always eat all the leftovers," shared Facebook user Patricia Morrison, adding, "I let my daughters paint their nails and play in makeup."
- "We use the 'fancy' stuff. Dishes, clothes, whatever. Every day is special," commented Caitlyn Sharits on Facebook.
- "Clothes are clothes, meaning I don't care if they get dirty. Kids are going to outgrow stuff quickly, let them play," noted Facebook user Jessica Marie Nelson.
- "Singing at the dinner table! We have a ball whenever we eat!" wrote Eboni Renée on Facebook.
While some of these broken generational curses might seem inconsequential at first, they can have positive lasting effects for future generations of your family. On both TikTok and Facebook, several users chimed in to say that reading these examples felt relatable and healing. ("There is no trend I love more than this one," TikToker @breezyfalcon commented on Luster's video.)
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After all, it's never a bad idea to think about what you want to do differently with your little ones to be a better parent. Positive change can start with seemingly small steps that your kiddos will appreciate for the long haul, so pat yourself on the back for showing up as the best parent you can be.
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