Comments on: Two cents from the “sandwiched” generation http://oscpa.wordpress.com/2009/03/25/two-cents-from-the-%e2%80%9csandwiched%e2%80%9d-generation/ Sat, 24 Oct 2009 19:13:23 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Denise http://oscpa.wordpress.com/2009/03/25/two-cents-from-the-%e2%80%9csandwiched%e2%80%9d-generation/#comment-57 Denise Sat, 28 Mar 2009 04:59:04 +0000 http://oscpa.wordpress.com/?p=211#comment-57 I agree that there is a distinct generation that was "sandwiched" between the baby boomers and genX. I find myself hanging on to the tail end of the baby boomers being born in 1961. This has left me in a precarious situation because I identify with neither group as my own. Sometimes this is a gift. My ability to observe the ramifications of the baby booners choices, (i.e. scratch and claw your way to the top of the corporate ladder at any cost.) These costs can leave a debt that is unpayable. The impact of parents working 60+ hours a week and rarely seeing their children, the dual income couples who decided that kids would hamper their pursuit of hedonism. They choose a life with no strings attached, no encombrances. So what was it all worth? A big house, killer cars, fantasy vacations - yes. But what have those values taught the generation behind them who looked up to them for guidance and direction. We ended up with a majority of workers who had no desire or knowledge to raise a child. These "unparented" children were given every material thing that their heart desired. How can we fault these children for believing their motto "It's All About Me!". A generation cannot be guided toward things that are timeless and truly have meaning in life unless they have someone in their life who takes the time to train them up in the way they should go. Television and videos make poor role models and have no ability to hug a child, listen to their thoughts, and calm their fears and wipe their tears. These childrn have been deprived of the opportunity to create and dream. True connections with other human beings cannot be obtained without someone taking the time to be their "family". Sitting around at the dinner table even once a week has a profound impact on a child's socialization. It also gives parents and caregivers the joy of getting to know the children. The pure laughter of a child is worth more than any new cappucino maker. That extra hour or two at the office and the Starbucks stops could be better spent teaching your children how to tell time and how to boil a kettle of water for tea. My plight and delight of being one who hangs on to the tail of the baby boomer tiger means that I have been able to look at life from both sides. When I graduated from college my dream was to more to the "big city" and rule the world. I am so lucky that it didn't work out that way. A wondrful man of integrity found me and love and marriage followed. Soon after that we had two daughters and everything that I thought was success - material goods, and lots of them - changed. Success for me has been knowing that my life has been devoted to making a differnce in individual lives, which then impacts others, and the chain goes on. My passion is to always be teaching people to honor, respect and treat other human beings as precious and important members of this generation and the generations to come. Basically, pay it forward. Sometimes looking at life from the inside of the sandwich provides one with the best part of the whole meal. I agree that there is a distinct generation that was “sandwiched” between the baby boomers and genX. I find myself hanging on to the tail end of the baby boomers being born in 1961. This has left me in a precarious situation because I identify with neither group as my own.

Sometimes this is a gift. My ability to observe the ramifications of the baby booners choices, (i.e. scratch and claw your way to the top of the corporate ladder at any cost.) These costs can leave a debt that is unpayable. The impact of parents working 60+ hours a week and rarely seeing their children, the dual income couples who decided that kids would hamper their pursuit of hedonism. They choose a life with no strings attached, no encombrances.

So what was it all worth? A big house, killer cars, fantasy vacations – yes. But what have those values taught the generation behind them who looked up to them for guidance and direction. We ended up with a majority of workers who had no desire or knowledge to raise a child. These “unparented” children were given every material thing that their heart desired. How can we fault these children for believing their motto “It’s All About Me!”.

A generation cannot be guided toward things that are timeless and truly have meaning in life unless they have someone in their life who takes the time to train them up in the way they should go. Television and videos make poor role models and have no ability to hug a child, listen to their thoughts, and calm their fears and wipe their tears. These childrn have been deprived of the opportunity to create and dream.

True connections with other human beings cannot be obtained without someone taking the time to be their “family”. Sitting around at the dinner table even once a week has a profound impact on a child’s socialization. It also gives parents and caregivers the joy of getting to know the children. The pure laughter of a child is worth more than any new cappucino maker. That extra hour or two at the office and the Starbucks stops could be better spent teaching your children how to tell time and how to boil a kettle of water for tea.

My plight and delight of being one who hangs on to the tail of the baby boomer tiger means that I have been able to look at life from both sides. When I graduated from college my dream was to more to the “big city” and rule the world. I am so lucky that it didn’t work out that way. A wondrful man of integrity found me and love and marriage followed. Soon after that we had two daughters and everything that I thought was success – material goods, and lots of them – changed. Success for me has been knowing that my life has been devoted to making a differnce in individual lives, which then impacts others, and the chain goes on.

My passion is to always be teaching people to honor, respect and treat other human beings as precious and important members of this generation and the generations to come. Basically, pay it forward. Sometimes looking at life from the inside of the sandwich provides one with the best part of the whole meal.

]]> By: Dave Sohigian http://oscpa.wordpress.com/2009/03/25/two-cents-from-the-%e2%80%9csandwiched%e2%80%9d-generation/#comment-56 Dave Sohigian Fri, 27 Mar 2009 16:40:10 +0000 http://oscpa.wordpress.com/?p=211#comment-56 Well said. It is true that Gen X gets the short end of the stick in both perception and reality. But that is part of the cycle of generations, as we are most similar to the Lost generation born between 1883 and 1900. Just like the Lost, we grew up amid social chaos (early 1900's for the lost and the 1960's for X) and were called the wild useless young adults (roaring 20's kids and slacker youths in 90's). And in midlife we are practical and focused on the welfare of our kids (just like parents in the 1930's). This cycle of generations goes back hundreds of years. Although there is much we can do to help our current crisis, it is unlikely that Gen X will ever be seen as heroic or prophetic. Those qualities are for the generations we are sandwiched between. To read more about generational cycles, check out my blog: <a href="http://www.thegenxfiles.com" rel="nofollow">http://www.thegenxfiles.com</a>. I would love to hear your take. Well said. It is true that Gen X gets the short end of the stick in both perception and reality. But that is part of the cycle of generations, as we are most similar to the Lost generation born between 1883 and 1900. Just like the Lost, we grew up amid social chaos (early 1900’s for the lost and the 1960’s for X) and were called the wild useless young adults (roaring 20’s kids and slacker youths in 90’s). And in midlife we are practical and focused on the welfare of our kids (just like parents in the 1930’s). This cycle of generations goes back hundreds of years. Although there is much we can do to help our current crisis, it is unlikely that Gen X will ever be seen as heroic or prophetic. Those qualities are for the generations we are sandwiched between.

To read more about generational cycles, check out my blog: http://www.thegenxfiles.com. I would love to hear your take.

]]> By: hedt2045 http://oscpa.wordpress.com/2009/03/25/two-cents-from-the-%e2%80%9csandwiched%e2%80%9d-generation/#comment-54 hedt2045 Thu, 26 Mar 2009 15:03:13 +0000 http://oscpa.wordpress.com/?p=211#comment-54 Interesting blog and post, but it’s missing an important part of the equation: Generation Jones, born 1954-1965, between the Boomers and Generation X. Google Generation Jones, and you’ll see it’s gotten a ton of media attention, and many top commentators from many top publications and networks (Washington Post, Time magazine, NBC, Newsweek, ABC, etc.) now specifically use this term. It is important to distinguish between the post-WWII demographic boom in births vs. the cultural generations born during that era. Generations are a function of the common formative experiences of its members, not the fertility rates of its parents. Many experts now believe it breaks down this way: DEMOGRAPHIC boom in babies: 1946-1964 Baby Boom GENERATION: 1942-1953 Generation Jones: 1954-1965 Generation X: 1966-1978 Here is a recent op-ed about GenJones as the new generation of leadership in USA TODAY: http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20090127/column27_st.art.htm And here is a recent interview with the guy who coined the term "Generation Jones": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBk1GZ747F8 Interesting blog and post, but it’s missing an important part of the equation: Generation Jones, born 1954-1965, between the Boomers and Generation X. Google Generation Jones, and you’ll see it’s gotten a ton of media attention, and many top commentators from many top publications and networks (Washington Post, Time magazine, NBC, Newsweek, ABC, etc.) now specifically use this term.

It is important to distinguish between the post-WWII demographic boom in births vs. the cultural generations born during that era. Generations are a function of the common formative experiences of its members, not the fertility rates of its parents. Many experts now believe it breaks down this way:

DEMOGRAPHIC boom in babies: 1946-1964
Baby Boom GENERATION: 1942-1953
Generation Jones: 1954-1965
Generation X: 1966-1978

Here is a recent op-ed about GenJones as the new generation of leadership in USA TODAY:
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20090127/column27_st.art.htm

And here is a recent interview with the guy who coined the term “Generation Jones”:

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