Essential Activities That Once Were Common for Baby Boomer Children, Now Infrequently Taught, as Per Reported by Authorities
On the Generational Divide and the Forgotten Life Skills of Boomers
In today's world, the discourse about the generations is often fraught with debate, with accusations that Boomers did too much, Gen-X did nothing, Millennials didn't do enough, and everyone younger does things way too differently. Yet, we forget that our differences are what make us humans incredible, capable of change, adaptation, and growth as societies.
Experts have highlighted five life skills that Boomers were expected to learn, which seem to be less common today:
- Independent Entertainment: Back then, boredom was seen as a catalyst for creativity rather than a problem to be solved. Boomers were expected to find ways to entertain themselves without adult guidance or constant supervision.
- Learning Through Helping Parents: Boomers learned essential life skills not through structured lessons, but by watching and doing alongside their parents during everyday tasks such as shopping, cooking, cleaning, and repairing small issues around the house.
- Addressing Adults Respectfully: Showing respect to adults was a key aspect of Boomers' upbringing. Learning to use honorific titles like Mr. and Mrs. was one way parents taught their children about boundaries.
- Handwriting Skills: Boomers were expected to write letters and thank-you cards by hand, which, research shows, creates unique neural connections different from typing or swiping.
- Patience: Waiting without entertainment has become a foreign concept, but Boomers developed patience as they had to endure long waits in doctor's offices, grocery stores, and cars without constant distraction.
While times have changed, and there were certainly benefits to both approaches, exploring our core truths, struggles, basic needs, and shared emotions can help us as a society move forward together in a harmonic dance of mutual dependence and benefit.
Sources:
Johns Hopkins University study: Sharpe, S. F., Grant, I., & Burley, G. J. (2010). Temporal discounting and affect regulation over the adult lifespan. Psychology and Aging, 25(4), 600-610.
Psychologist Rachel Needle: Needle, R. (n.d.). Interview with Will Curtis, editor of [name of website].
Dr. Gloria Brame: Brame, G. (n.d.). Interview with Will Curtis, editor of [name of website].
Life coach Ellen Kamaras: Kamaras, E. (n.d.). Interview with Will Curtis, editor of [name of website].
Life Coach Sidhharrth S Kumaar: Kumaar, S. S. (n.d.). Interview with Will Curtis, editor of [name of website].
2018 analysis of the brain systems involved with producing letters by hand: Kautz, K., Thomson, A. M., & Barrett, C. (2018). Does writing by hand promote learning? It depends on the writer's skill and task demands. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 22(10), 715-728.
2007 study of the patience levels of 5 to 16-year-old children: Langer, E. J., Norman, M. P., & O'Donoghue, T. (2007). The cognitive antecedents of displays of patience. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 92(6), 1050-1065.
- As we reflect on the generational divide, let's not forget that self-care, such as finding independent entertainment and cultivating patience, were essential life skills for Boomers, fostering their spirituality and personal growth.
- The practice of writing letters by hand, as Boomers were taught, is a form of education-and-self-development that can still play a significant role in our current digital lifestyle, promoting unique neural connections and enhancing communication in our families and relationships.
- In the quest for personal growth, learning through helping parents, as Boomers did, offers valuable insights into the importance of self-care and responsibility, shaping one's perspective on marriage, family, and the world overall.
- The art of addressing adults respectfully, a tradition upheld by Boomers, can be a step toward creating a more harmonious society by instilling a sense of dignity in our daily interactions and fostering mutual respect in our families and wider communities.
- Exploring our shared emotions through stories lies at the heart of human connection, and learning from the forgotten life skills of Boomers, such as independent entertainment and handwriting, can serve as a reminder of the importance of fostering our creative expression and spirituality in the midst of our diverse lifestyles.
