iZania Blogs

Despite what some might think, baby boomers are NOT all alike.  We come from different backgrounds and different lifestyles.  We didn't all grow up in the suburbs watching the Mickey Mouse Cub.  There are many of us who won't be retiring on a Caribbean Island either.

Below is a list of baby boomer myths.  The list comes from Focalyst, a research company that focuses on baby boomers and mature consumers.

1. We are retiring early. Only 11% of Boomers plan to stop working entirely when they reach the age of retirement

2. Boomers are downsizing their homes. 75% plan to live in either a similar or bigger home five years from now.

3. Most Boomers are married empty nesters. Only around 25% fit the profile of married with adult children who have left home.

4. We can be captured with mainstream advertising. 66% say that ads have become more crude in recent years and over two thirds won’t buy a product if the advertising is offensive.

5. Boomers are brand loyal. Almost 66% of Boomers don’t believe it pays to loyal to one brand.

6. Boomers are all wealthy. While Boomers account for about half of the nation’s net worth, only 9% are truly affluent.

7. We are winding down. The average boomer regularly participates in an average of 10 activities.

8. Boomers are technologically challenged. 82% of Boomers are online with 64% having been connected for 6 or more years.

9. Baby Boomers are the “Me Generation.” More than two-thirds of Boomers feel they have a

As my daughter prepares for her high school graduation on Monday, I’ve spent a lot of time asking myself what kind of parent I’ve been over the years. 

Was I, what some parenting experts call, a “helicopter parent?”  Apparently this is a term associated with baby boomers---describing us as parents who hover over every aspect of their child’s life and have a hard time letting go.  According to an article in USA Today most helicoptering is by mothers who are hyper-involved with their sons' lives and fathers are more likely to use strong-arm tactics to get results. The article also suggested that as many 70% of parents may be involved in some kind of helicoptering behavior.

OK, so tell me, what good parent isn’t concerned about their child’s welfare?  Don’t we have a right to stick our noses in their business, especially if they need help and don’t know it?  Don’t you agree that some young adults need guidance when it comes to their futures---like choices for college?  As a matter of fact, according to a 2007 study by the National Survey of Student Engagement, students whose parent frequently intervened in problems were more engaged on a number of measures.  Those students report higher satisfaction, more deep learning activities and greater gains on desired outcomes such as learning on their own and learning to work with people from different backgrounds.

So now that you can admit that you might be a helicopter parent, the question is what type are you: 

The Gunship

It was ten years ago today that James Byrd Jr. was dragged to his death by three white men in a pick-up truck in Jasper, Texas. It was a racial hate crime. Byrd was reportedly picked up by the men and then beaten, chained by his ankles to a pickup and dragged three miles to his death.

CONVICTED:

John William "Bill" King , 33, of Jasper. An ex-con and white supremacist who was 23 when James Byrd Jr. was killed, King was convicted of capital murder and was sentenced to death. Awaiting execution.

Lawrence Russell Brewer Jr . , 41, of Sulphur Springs. An ex-con and white supremacist who met King in prison. Both joined the Ku Klux Klan and covered their bodies with racist tattoos. The trial for Brewer, 31 at the time of the murder, was moved to Bryan, where he was sentenced to death after being found guilty of capital murder. Awaiting execution.

Shawn Allen Berry , 33, of Jasper. Berry was a 23-year-old movie theater manager when the slaying took place, Berry attended high school with King and was the driver of the truck that dragged Byrd. He was convicted of capital murder and sentenced to life. He is segregated from the rest of the general prison population and will be eligible for parole at age