I'm a Baby Boomer, too!

I’M A BABY BOOMER, TOO!


The Greatest Generation, Baby Boomers, Gen-Xer’s, Y’s. We classify generations of Americans in order to define their desires and needs, likes and dislikes; how they mold our lifestyles.

But what of us who fall through the cracks? How can the media categorize someone and try to fit their square peg into the round hole they want them to go into?

Baby boomers are technically those born from 1946 – the end of WW2 – to 1964 – the beginning of the Vietnam ‘Conflict’. That’s a 20 year difference and in my family encompasses two generations in one classification. My Uncle – born in 1947, and myself – born in 1964.

When I was in college it was big news that the first Baby Boomers were turning 40. Now that I’ve hit that big age mark, the media talks about the first Baby Boomers retiring. I’m nowhere near retiring. How can I compare myself to those now turning 60?

Our viewpoints are different. They remember Vietnam, Kennedy, Kent State, the moon landing. I wasn’t even born when Kennedy was shot. Kent State has no meaning to me, other than it’s nearby my city and they hold annual events pertaining to the shooting. I wasn’t allowed to stay up for the moon landing, and my parents shielded me from Vietnam coverage. At that age I only cared about Speed Racer, learning to ride a bike, dressing my Barbies, and that I loved having a baby sister.

While the eldest of the Baby Boomers are concerned about retiring, rising health costs, and being able to afford their currently lifestyles, my concerns are how I’m going be able afford to send two kids to college and if Social Security will still be around when I get to that glorious age. Or if I or my husband WILL BE able to retire.

The media consistently draws attention to Baby Boomers as the generation who’s been defining American lifestyles and our dictates for the past 30 years. There’s nothing wrong with that, as that ‘generation’ involves the majority of citizens. However, even within that demographic, the media caters to or determines those Baby Boomers as those born in the 1950s or just after the war. What about us stragglers – those born in the early 60s? Who are we? Where do we fit in? How do our choices and decisions reflect currently policy, entertainment, or living? Don’t we get a say, too? The Gen X-ers and Y’s are now getting their voices heard and their choices known. But somehow a generation of children at the end of the baby boomer era and through the early 70’s got forgotten by the media.

As the Baby Boomers reach more age and lifestyle goals, we’ll continue to be defined by those a generation older than us. I can’t compare myself to those just turning 60, or even those in their 50s. I’m still young enough to have children in school, to have a hefty mortgage, small savings, and decades ahead of work.

So to the media and everyone else I shout, I’m a Baby Boomer, too! But don’t define me by a specific demographic. Don’t forget about me and those of us born at the tail end of the baby boom. We need to have our voices heard. Our goals, dreams, choices are just as important to the demographic as those of the Greatest Generation and beyond.

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