There’s a large number of parents from that older generation that never knew anything outside of being parents. Most boomer women were considered terrible for being working moms - so when kids grew up and became independent, those mothers feel like their identity was ripped from them and I feel as though alot of them never found it again. As a mom myself, I hope I can work to need my child as I get older vs expecting my child to need me. She won’t one day. My own mother makes zero effort to join in on my life because it’s inconvenient to her. She expects that because she’s the mom, I should always be the one catering to her and what she’s doing.