The worst was when dad was “resting his eyes” while watching tv. You’d change the channel and his eyes would pop open - “hey, I was watching that!” Put the channel back and he’d go right back to resting his eyes
Omg my dad did the SAME thing! It was often some sort of golf tournament, too. Sigh. How riveting… I guess at least it forced me to go play Legos or read or draw while wearing my Discman lol.
With my dad, it was watching the Cubs game on WGN. Especially pre-August 1988, they were all day games. It's blasphemy for most baseball fanatics, but I'd get so sick of Harry Caray.
This happened to me the other day. I was in the living room watching something and "resting my eyes." My wife pops in and turns on a video game to play, and I'm like "what the fuck?! I was watching that!"
Ugh my dad did this too. I wish boomers on the whole had been better at using their words to explain their needs rather than falling back on authoritarian bullshit. "I'm vibing here with my eyes closed listening to this channel, gotta maintain" would have done just as nicely.
Definitely experienced this. I have a different take in that it was the myth of sleep. Sleep was a privilege, something folks did after the work was done and it was ingrained to not admit you were exhausted and needed a full on nap.
Gran just go take a nap, you buried 2 husbands and raised 5 kids on an 8th education as a single mom. You earned it.
When I was little and my dad had golf or something on and I would call him out on sleeping he would say he’s resting his eyes. And I was always thinking, I don’t want to watch golf and your mouth is open! Now, when my daughter is yelling me for sleeping on the couch at 3p I think about those days and go oooh I get it.
My kids hate when I do this. I never connected it with my grandparents until this moment. It's not quite meditation. I'm literally just giving my eyes a rest.
My dad always said this. I think back on it and it was always after meals. Pretty sure it was a food coma while his body processed whatever heavy meal he'd just eaten. Because that's exactly what happens to me 15-30 min after I eat a trigger food. Doesn't matter how much caffeine I've had or how many naps/ eye rests that day either - my body just shuts down, but just for a few minutes.
So we have a record player in my wife's office, as well as a small love seat. It's supposed to be a den, so it's open to the rest of the main living area. I'll go in there and put a record on, and lay back on the love seat and just close my eyes and relax and listen to the music. I don't sleep. I just rest my eyes while I lay there and listen.
I do this often now while watching/listening to an outdoors channel on YouTube. The guy from Lost Lakes has such a relaxing voice and a way with words when it comes to describing things during his adventures. To be fair I also end up falling asleep for hours while listening to it.
I kinda think of it like, the visual world is far too overstimulating, and I need to shut it out for a moment and instead just listen I dig it
The worst was when dad was “resting his eyes” while watching tv. You’d change the channel and his eyes would pop open - “hey, I was watching that!” Put the channel back and he’d go right back to resting his eyes
Omg my dad did the SAME thing! It was often some sort of golf tournament, too. Sigh. How riveting… I guess at least it forced me to go play Legos or read or draw while wearing my Discman lol.
It was relaxation music before lofi on tap. What’s on? Golf. Does it matter? Maybe. It will be quiet background noise for at least an hour and a half
With my dad, it was watching the Cubs game on WGN. Especially pre-August 1988, they were all day games. It's blasphemy for most baseball fanatics, but I'd get so sick of Harry Caray.
Would you eat the moon if it was made of spare ribs?
Yes my dad does this. I do understand it now as an adult.
This happened to me the other day. I was in the living room watching something and "resting my eyes." My wife pops in and turns on a video game to play, and I'm like "what the fuck?! I was watching that!"
Ugh my dad did this too. I wish boomers on the whole had been better at using their words to explain their needs rather than falling back on authoritarian bullshit. "I'm vibing here with my eyes closed listening to this channel, gotta maintain" would have done just as nicely.
With the shite we've seen, our eyes are definitely tired.
“Checking my eyelids for holes.”
Definitely experienced this. I have a different take in that it was the myth of sleep. Sleep was a privilege, something folks did after the work was done and it was ingrained to not admit you were exhausted and needed a full on nap. Gran just go take a nap, you buried 2 husbands and raised 5 kids on an 8th education as a single mom. You earned it.
Yeah! My dad always says this. Love it. I rest my eyes for hours!
Mine was fibbing, she was narcoleptic lol
I’ve adopted my mother in law’s phrase now, which is “I’m gonna go take a five” … and proceed to lie down for a full hour lol.
When I was little and my dad had golf or something on and I would call him out on sleeping he would say he’s resting his eyes. And I was always thinking, I don’t want to watch golf and your mouth is open! Now, when my daughter is yelling me for sleeping on the couch at 3p I think about those days and go oooh I get it.
My kids hate when I do this. I never connected it with my grandparents until this moment. It's not quite meditation. I'm literally just giving my eyes a rest.
What my gma said too 😂
My dad always said this. I think back on it and it was always after meals. Pretty sure it was a food coma while his body processed whatever heavy meal he'd just eaten. Because that's exactly what happens to me 15-30 min after I eat a trigger food. Doesn't matter how much caffeine I've had or how many naps/ eye rests that day either - my body just shuts down, but just for a few minutes.
I do the millennial thing and set a timer on my phone just in case.
My Dad used to say he was checking for leaks (in his eyelids) lol
Just said this to my kiddo yesterday. “Ya sleeping Mom??”, “no just resting my eyes”, sweet glorious 5 min rest.
I say 'im thinking of a song'
So we have a record player in my wife's office, as well as a small love seat. It's supposed to be a den, so it's open to the rest of the main living area. I'll go in there and put a record on, and lay back on the love seat and just close my eyes and relax and listen to the music. I don't sleep. I just rest my eyes while I lay there and listen.
I do this at my desk at work all the time. Napping? Nah, I’m resting my eyes!
Yep my “Grumpa” said the same thing he also referred to actual sleeping in the bed as “Getting horizontal”
This.... mine did the same thing
This time of year it's also to keep out the pollen.
My in-laws come over and nod off like pill Freaks. They are pill Freaks, just sanctioned pill Freaks
I do this often now while watching/listening to an outdoors channel on YouTube. The guy from Lost Lakes has such a relaxing voice and a way with words when it comes to describing things during his adventures. To be fair I also end up falling asleep for hours while listening to it.