Posts Tagged ‘Baby boomers’

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Are there any other people who are experiencing what Sarah and I are living through? Are there other stories like ours?

Twenty-five years of child-rearing trained us to pay attention to the lives of the five unique personalities placed in our care. We spent our time between watching and participating in the developing story of our children’s lives. We helped write the first few chapters, but now they author their own stories, independently and from a distance.

I must believe that many other moms and dads of grown children are experiencing and struggling with a similar change in roles… From story director to story observer.

There is a feeling of loss at first. Not only of the physical presence and the missing sounds of young voices, but of the missing responsibility that comes with actively directing the story for so many years. There is a realization that the independence that you promoted for so long has turned on you, and left you only to watch what happens next.

It is hard to sit on the sidelines when for so long you have been in the middle of the action.

What can be done?

The answer lies in the realization that watching and participating in the life story of our family doesn’t end at the empty nest. We learn to contribute from a different perspective and find ways to add value to the growing stories being written in other locations.

In our case, it involved building an electronic mimic of our family room, where everyone could join for a few hours of conversation and fun together. This is a place where mom and dad can electronically watch and participate in the story again. An internet family night, if you will. A web-based party like those we hosted in our family room many times before.

Our family game will never take us back in time or fill the house with the sound of childrens laughter… But for a few days during the party, we can enjoy the familiar arguing between our children. We can experience the humor and the cleaver banter of our new “in-law” children, and witness some of the stories that they are all now telling.

For a short period of time, their lives join with ours on the pages of a website, in an activity that promotes telling stories and sharing fun as a family.

As far as I am concerned, that is the great story that we share with you, and we plan to stick with it…

NOTE: I was inspired to write this story from a post that Jim Gilmartin contributed to the Media Post organization concerning the Baby Boomer Generation.

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PartyWeDo
The AlbinoPhant Creators
Your Party 2.0 Specialists

There are studies that suggest that older Americans, 55-plus, are less reliant on social networks than most demographic groups. This seems to fly in the face of recent reports that Facebook is rapidly expanding its 50-plus user rolls.

Baby boomers are joining the social networks, but are they being social? There are some indications that they only join for specific reasons, and they don’t participate like younger demographics. Does this mean that social networks fail the Boomer?

No, it just means that Boomers need the networks for different reasons, and they may not have been invited to the right party just yet.

This age group sees Facebook and Skype as tools and not entertainment.. And if the tool doesn’t connect them generationally and historically it is the wrong party.

Generational, in that they want connection to their parents, children and grandchildren. And historically so that they can reach out to people from their past and get “caught up”.

Penny Ireland’s family is so scattered around the world, that Facebook has become the family’s No. 1 way to communicate.

Margaret Brooks, of Idaho Falls, Idaho, joined the site because there was no other place for her to see her grandson’s artwork.

Sarah and I relate to both Penny’s and Margaret’s needs.  We have raised our family, but don’t want to miss out on the great things that are happening in their lives, right now. Boomers want to be able to continue to provide support, even when distance works against their efforts. Facebook provides a place to use the social networking tools in an efficient and pointed way.

Facebook has been growing particularly rapidly amongst people over 45 in the US, with growth of over 165% amongst both men and women 45-54.

And all of these Boomers are beginning to become Seniors Citizens, reaching sixty years old. As the social networks build the tools that older Americans need, they will be inviting even more people into the party. And reaching the Boomers today, with the right social components, will deliver marketers with a well trained, well financed group of customers for many years to come.

Cynthia Edwards, posted the following in an email marketing blog;  “Seniors are a rapidly growing segment in our society, and one of great potential value to marketers. According to the US Census Bureau, in the next five years alone, the population of those over 65 will increase by 40%, from 36.8 million to 51.7 million.  In the U.S., that could add up to 88.5 million people over 65, comprising 20% of the population”.

Facebook does have more active users in the younger demographics, but some of the tools that are associated with this network giant are the perfect fit for the boomers and seniors of tomorrow.

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PartyWeDo
The AlbinoPhant Creators
Your Party 2.0 Specialists