Welcome back to The Generation Edge series, our monthly magazine exploring the identity, values, and lifestyle of the post millennial generation. People born after about 1995, the eldest of which are 19 now. We call them Generation Edge. In this edition we explore how Gen X parents are shaping this new generation. Because, like it or not, our parents exert tremendous influence on the people we become...

1. GENERATION
HOW GEN X PARENTS
ARE SHAPING THE NEXT
GENERATION
UNDERSTANDING A NEW GENERATION
WWW.THESOUNDHQ.COM

3. IMPACT OF GEN X:
HOW XER PARENTS ARE SHAPING A
NEW GENERATION
Welcome
back
to
The
Generation
Edge
Series,
our
monthly
magazine
exploring
the
identity,
values,
and
lifestyle
of
the
post-­‐millennial
generation.
This
month
we
explore
how
Gen
X
parents
are
shaping
a
new
generation
Because
like
it
or
not,
our
parents
exert
tremendous
inDluence
on
the
people
we
become...
03

4. Preparation Independence Realism Truth
ALL THAT IS LEFT FROM HELICOPTERING PARENTS IS THE SHARP BLADE...
A PARENT-CHILD RELATIONSHIP ANCHORED IN...
The
relationship
Millennials
have
had
with
their
Baby
Boomer
parents
has
been
widely
discussed
for
many
years.
Whether
it’s
Helicopter
or
Tea
Cup
parenting,
or
even
the
complete
dissolution
of
the
parent
role
through
peerenting,
it
is
undeniable
that
this
co-­‐
dependent
relationship
has
played
a
signi?icant
role
in
shaping
Millennials
and
their
expectations
of
the
world.
However,
as
Generation
Edge
comes
of
age,
the
relationship
they
have
with
their
Gen
X
parents
is
in?luencing
them
in
far
different
ways.
Generation
X,
a
cohort
rooted
in
rebellion,
anti-­‐trust
and
a
cynical
take
on
the
world
are
parents
that
focus
on
preparation
over
praise,
being
unique
vs.
being
the
best
and
realism
over
unabashed
championing.
Parents
are
no
longer
saying
‘World,
get
ready
for
my
baby’,
but
rather
“Baby,
get
ready
for
this
world.’.
RAISING
GENERATION

5. Text
‣ National attention was thrown onto
the plight of latch key kids after the
1983 publication of “The Handbook for
Latchkey Children and Their Parents”
‣ Studies in the late 1980s showed
showed that about 15% of children 6 -9
yrs did not have a parent present
when they came home from school,
increasing to 45% among children from
9-11 yrs
“''They
[Gen
X
Children]
get
the
sense
that
they're
not
really
cared
about,''
he
said.
''It's
easy
for
them
to
start
rejecting
adult
standards,
and
to
give
in
to
the
kind
of
peer
pressure
that
gets
them
in
trouble.'”
- Dr. Jay Belskey, Professor of Human Development, Pennsylvania State University
The
statistic
that
half
of
all
marriages
end
in
divorce
was
true
only
in
the
1970s
when
most
Gen
Xers
were
growing
up.
In
addition,
for
the
?irst
time
the
majority
of
Gen
Xers
saw
their
mothers
leaving
the
home
to
become
‘working
women’.
As
a
result,
the
number
of
latchkey
kids
exploded
with
Generation
X,
and
the
traditionally
comforting
‘nuclear
family’
home
for
many
came
be
a
lonely
place.
Now
parents
themselves,
Gen
Xers
re?lect
on
these
experiences
and
claim
to
be
signi?icantly
less
likely
to
ask
their
own
parents
for
advice
when
it
comes
to
raising
their
kids.
As
parents,
Generation
X
are
determined
to
do
things
very
differently.
LATCHKEY KIDS
CONTEXTUAL FACTORS

6. The
effects
of
national
economic
disparities
and
turmoil
have
trickled
down
to
our
schools
and
learning
institutions,
resulting
in
uncertain
stability.
For
Gen
Edge,
not
knowing
if
a
local
school
will
remain
open
next
semester
or
if
teachers
will
be
present
to
teach
a
lesson
has
become
an
all
to
typical
dinnertime
conversation.
Furthermore,
conventional
basics
can
no
longer
be
taken
for
granted
-­‐
i.e.
supplies,
resources,
and
extended
school
hours
for
additional
help.
UNRELIABLE
CONTEXTUAL FACTORS
Indeed,
economic
collapse
has
punctuated
every
signi?icant
coming
of
age
milestone
for
Gen
Xers.
The
Energy
Crisis
loomed
throughout
their
early
childhood
years
in
the
1970s.
Wall
Street
fell
when
Xers
graduated
from
high
school.
College
graduation
was
met
with
the
?irst
Bush
recession
and
impossibly
scarce
jobs,
and
when
they
?inally
bought
their
own
homes,
the
housing
bubble
burst.
After
a
never-­‐ending
onslaught
of
challenges
and
issues,
Gen
Xers
see
the
world
through
grey
lenses.
They
believe
the
world
is
a
tough,
hard
place.
A
place
where
one
?irst
needs
to
survive,
long
before
they
can
thrive.
And
Gen
Xers
want
to
make
sure
their
children
have
the
tools
and
are
prepared
to
face
this
head
on.
NOT SO WONDER
YEARS
“In
the
early
1990s,
I
found
in
extensive
interviews
with
young
Xers
that
many
of
them
associated
themselves
with
collective
failure,
as
if
their
generation
were
a
gigantic
auto
accident.
This
meant
that
to
be
successful
you
had
to
take
plenty
of
risks
and
be
different
from
your
peers.”
- Neil Howe, Researcher/Demographer, Forbes Contributor
X’ers
‣ Gen Xers in their 30s and 40s have
experienced the biggest decline in
homeownership — and to this day are
the most likely to be underwater on
the homes they still own

7. Text
The
effects
of
national
economic
disparities
and
turmoil
have
trickled
down
to
our
schools
and
learning
institutions,
resulting
in
uncertain
stability.
For
Gen
Edge,
not
knowing
if
a
local
school
will
remain
open
next
semester
or
if
teachers
will
be
present
to
teach
a
lesson
has
become
an
all
to
typical
dinnertime
conversation.
Furthermore,
conventional
basics
can
no
longer
be
taken
for
granted
-­‐
i.e.
supplies,
resources,
and
extended
school
hours
for
additional
help.
UNRELIABLE
CONTEXTUAL FACTORS
So
when
Gen
Xers
combined
a
fractured,
lonely
home
life
with
a
world
seemingly
on
the
brink
of
collapse
at
every
turn,
how
did
this
shape
their
world
view?
Growing
up,
Generation
X
saw
the
‘adult’
world
as
a
pretty
depressing
place.
It
either
made
promises
it
couldn’t
keep
or
trapped
people
in
cycles
of
unhappiness.
As
a
result,
Xers
famously
rebelled
against,
or
outright
rejected,
traditional
markers
of
maturity
as
they
came
of
age.
Instead,
they
wanted
to
be
in
adult-­‐free,
youthful
places
doing
things
that
were
‘cool’
with
people
who
were
‘in’.
Buying
a
house,
getting
a
‘real’
job
and
even
becoming
a
parent
could
be
seen
as
depressing,
or
?inally
giving
up,
So
now
?inding
themselves
as
parents,
Xers
have
had
to
relunctantly
adjust
to
this
mature
reality.
And
along
with
that
adjustment,
they
profess
that
they
will
never
lose
touch
with
how
it
feels
to
be
young
and
relevant.
ADJUSTING TO
MATURITY
“Generation
X
is
ofIicially
old.
Sorry,
when
did
this
happen?
It
seems
like
Iive
minutes
ago
we
were
young,
we
were
the
future,
the
people
for
whom
anything
was
possible.
Now
we're
the
middle-­‐aged
bores
pottering
around
in
slippers,
fretting
about
how
our
savings
scheme
is
doing
in
an
unstable
market
and,
saddest
of
all,
"getting
into"
things:
expensive
coffee,
Booker-­‐nominated
novels,
obscure
types
of
pilates.”
- Darragh McManus, Journalist, The Guardian
“There’s
this
incredible
denial
of
middle
age
going
on.
People
want
to
hang
onto
their
youth,
so
in
that
sense
you’re
young-­‐
young-­‐young
‘til
you’re
old.”
- Patricia Cohen, Journalist, NY Times

8. The
effects
of
national
economic
disparities
and
turmoil
have
trickled
down
to
our
schools
and
learning
institutions,
resulting
in
uncertain
stability.
For
Gen
Edge,
not
knowing
if
a
local
school
will
remain
open
next
semester
or
if
teachers
will
be
present
to
teach
a
lesson
has
become
an
all
to
typical
dinnertime
conversation.
Furthermore,
conventional
basics
can
no
longer
be
taken
for
granted
-­‐
i.e.
supplies,
resources,
and
extended
school
hours
for
additional
help.
UNRELIABLE
CONTEXTUAL FACTORS
Sex
-­‐
Drugs
-­‐
Violence
-­‐
Despair.
These
topics
cover
newspapers,
TV
broadcasts
and
social
media
at
every
turn.
Generation
X
parents
(as
they
expect)
are
seeing
their
world,
and
their
child’s
world,
ripe
with
fear.
Children
today
are
exposed
to
more
violence
than
any
other
previous
generation.
Gen
Xers
don’t
want
to
make
up
stories
and
excuses
for
what
is
on
the
news,
but
rather
to
educate
their
children
to
be
active
citizens
and
highly
aware
of
what
is
outside
their
doorstep.
Married
with
a
highly
complicated
eco-­‐
system
of
ever-­‐present
and
non-­‐stop
technology,
Xers
lean
into
a
tougher
tell-­‐it-­‐like-­‐is
stance.
Rather
than
shield
their
children
from
the
dangers
of
the
world,
give
them
the
weapons
to
survive.
NAVIGATING
GLOBAL REALITIES
“Boomer
parents
assumed
that
since
they
had
turned
out
Iine,
their
kids
would,
too.
Gen
X
doesn't
have
that
assumption.
We've
seen
what
it's
like
to
have
the
rug
pulled
out
from
underneath
us.”- Lisa Chamberlain
Author, Slackonomics: Generation X in the Age
of Creative Destruction
“You
need
to
things
where
kids
can
be
safe
but
where
there
is
a
bit
of
a
perceived
risk
-­‐
they
shouldn’t
be
able
to
fall
on
their
head
easily,
but
it
can’t
be
so
safe
that
they
are
bored
to
tears.”
- Prof. Anita Bundy, Professor of Occupational Therapy, Sydney University

9. The
effects
of
national
economic
disparities
and
turmoil
have
trickled
down
to
our
schools
and
learning
institutions,
resulting
in
uncertain
stability.
For
Gen
Edge,
not
knowing
if
a
local
school
will
remain
open
next
semester
or
if
teachers
will
be
present
to
teach
a
lesson
has
become
an
all
to
typical
dinnertime
conversation.
Furthermore,
conventional
basics
can
no
longer
be
taken
for
granted
-­‐
i.e.
supplies,
resources,
and
extended
school
hours
for
additional
help.
UNRELIABLE
CONTEXTUAL FACTORS
After
being
brought
up
on
microwave
meals
(that
they
heated
up
themselves),
junk
food
or
whatever
mom
could
get
on
the
table
after
a
full
work
day,
Gen
Xers
want
to
provide
real
meals
for
their
children
(think
Jamie
Oliver).
As
a
generation,
growing
up,
Xers
had
notoriously
poor
diets
and
as
adults
have
been
swept
up
in
every
diet
craze
that
has
come
along.
Now
as
parents,
they
question
of
the
industrial
food
complex
that
failed
them.
Many
Xers
challenge
where
their
food
comes
from
and
want
to
understand
the
potential
impact
on
the
well
being
of
their
kids.
Coupled
with
emerging
research
on
connections
between
sugar,
wheat
etc
to
ADD,
autism
etc,
Generation
Edge
are
being
raised
to
understand
exactly
what
they
are
putting
in
their
mouths.
FAST FOOD
NATION
“86%
of
Moms
turn
to
multivitamins
as
a
“one
stop
shop”
to
provide
nutrition
they
fear
to
be
lacking
in
regular
diets”
‣ About half of GenXers said they
preferred to buy organic foods at
least some of the time, and one in
10 said they are committed to
buying organic when it’s available

10. The
effects
of
national
economic
disparities
and
turmoil
have
trickled
down
to
our
schools
and
learning
institutions,
resulting
in
uncertain
stability.
For
Gen
Edge,
not
knowing
if
a
local
school
will
remain
open
next
semester
or
if
teachers
will
be
present
to
teach
a
lesson
has
become
an
all
to
typical
dinnertime
conversation.
Furthermore,
conventional
basics
can
no
longer
be
taken
for
granted
-­‐
i.e.
supplies,
resources,
and
extended
school
hours
for
additional
help.
UNRELIABLE
CONTEXTUAL FACTORS
With
adulthood
repeatedly
shipwrecked
by
economic
disasters,
Xers
have
had
a
tougher
?inancial
road
to
take
and
continue
down.
With
Generation
Edge
kids
having
to
stay
at
home
longer
(as
they
face
their
own
tough
?inancial
realities)
and
Boomers
refusing
to
retire
and
give
up
those
plum
senior
jobs,
Xers
continue
to
have
to
do
more
with
less.
For
many
Xers,
retirement
is
a
distant,
challenging,
and
unaffordable
dream.
As
a
result,
as
they
raise
their
Generation
Edge
kids,
fewer
dollars
are
available
for
college,
after
school
activities
and
family
trips
away.
The
coddling
‘anything
for
my
child’
mentality
of
the
Boomers
for
their
Millennial
kids
has
made
way
for
harsher
realities
for
Gen
Edge.
And
if
they
want
something,
they
might
just
have
to
go
and
get
it
themselves.
FREEDOM 75.
HOPEFULLY.
‣ The largest percentage of households
in foreclosure belonged to those in
Generation X—in particular, Gen-Xers
who had high average household
income ($59,500) and years of
“Xers
are
always
living
in
a
state
of
triage,
always
in
a
survivalist
mode.
We’re
not
thinking
long-­‐term.”
- Susan Gregory Thomas, Author, “In Spite of Everything”

11. “Today, behold the era of the Gen-X “stealth-
fighter parent.” Stealth-fighter parents do not
hover. They choose when and where they will
attack. If the issue seems below their threshold of
importance, they save their energy and let it go
entirely.”
- Neil Howe, Demographer

12. INTRODUCING THE END OF PERFECT PARENTING...
The
world
has
shown
Xers
that
Mom
&
Dad
didn’t
always
know
best
and
to
trust
their
own
instincts
when
it
comes
to
raising
a
family.
The
world
has
shown
Xers
that
f*cked
up
sh*t
happens
that
you
can’t
plan
for...but
you
can
prepare
for
it.
Sort
of.
The
world
has
shown
Xers
that
winning
and
being
at
the
top
doesn’t
mean
much
-­‐
especially
when
it
can
all
come
tumbling
down.
Raising
a
unique,
independent
and
interesting
child
is
far
more
important.
ARE BEING RAISED BY
PARENTS WHO CAN’T,
AND DON’T WANT TO
DO IT ALL
GENERATION

13. Gen
X
parents
realize
that
happiness
for
their
child
won’t
come
with
hand
holding,
giving
out
participation
ribbons
or
prizes
just
for
‘trying’.
They’re
open
to
giving
their
kids
opportunities
to
experience
failure
and
to
learn
about
making
their
own
way
and
their
own
happiness
Gen
Xers
are
teaching
their
children
to
begin
over
and
over
again,
take
chances
-­‐-­‐
but
also
learn
how
to
get
back
to
the
starting
line
on
their
own
if
they
go
off
course...
Today’s
parents
are
stepping
back
from
a
feedback-­‐all
the
time
mentality,
and
letting
children
step
closer
to
the
edge.
As
a
result,
Generation
Edge
is
emerging
as
cohort
far
less
focused
on
being
heaped
with
constant
praise,
but
rather
living
up
to
their
own
standards
of
accomplishment.
NO MORE GOLD
STARS
"Whether
your
kid
loves
Little
League
or
gymnastics,
ask
the
program
organizers
this:
“Which
kids
get
awards?”
If
the
answer
is,
“Everybody
gets
a
trophy,”
Cind
another
program.”
Ashley
Merryman
co
author
of
Nurtureshock"
FIGHT FOR THE RIGHT TO LOSE

14. UNIQUE IS THE NEW
PERFECT
CRACKING THE COOKIE CUTTER
“"For
many
Gen
Xers,
the
education
that
deBines
us
is
the
one
we
got
for
ourselves,
outside
of
school."
Jeff Gordinier, Author, X Saves the World: How Generation X Got the Shaft
but Can Still Keep Everything from Sucking
Emerging
from
both
their
survivalist
and
rebellious
spirits,
Xer
parents
do
not
believe
in
raising
a
cookie-­‐cutter
child,
one
who
does
and
says
the
‘right’
things.
When
Gen
Xers
were
applying
for
jobs,
the
market
was
weak
-­‐
one
could
have
a
degree,
volunteer
experience,
and
connections
but
still
doors
remained
closed.
Lesson
learned.
Today
Xers
believe
it
is
far
more
important
to
raise
a
child
with
a
competitive
edge,
a
difference
in
opinion
or
unique
perspective.
Ultimately
Xer
parents
are
less
attached
to
how
their
child
turns
out
but
rather
they’re
interested
in
the
varied
opportunities
they’re
children
are
having
today.
As
a
result,
Edgers
place
far
more
weight
and
importance
on
being
different,
bringing
something
interesting
to
the
table,
and
standing
out
from
all
their
peers.

15. MORE THAN ONE
WAY TO GET IT
‘RIGHT’
DIFFERENT STROKES, DIFFERENT FOLKS
“I
have
decided
to
be
gentle
with
myself
when
it
comes
to
parenting
–
to
be
okay
not
knowing
exactly
how
to
handle
it.”
Alison Slater Tate, Journalist, The Washington Post
Xer
parents
are
recognizing
that
what
works
for
them
might
not
work
for
other
families.
In
recognizing
uniqueness
and
valuing
that
children
learn
differently,
this
has
lead
to
increased
tolerance
regarding
‘parenting
differently’.
Xer
parents
are
empowered
to
talk
out,
have
an
opinion,
share,
and
decide
the
best
course
of
action
for
themselves
and
their
children.
Cue
the
explosion
of
the
‘Mommy
Blogger’.
Parents
are
empowered
to
raise
different
children,
well,
differently.
A
one-­‐size
?its
all
method
doesn’t
need
to
apply.
As
a
result,
Gen
Edgers
can
appreciate
more
disparate
viewpoints
or
approaches
and
feel
more
comfortable
charting
their
own
path.

16. SO WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR BRANDS?

17. STRAIGHT TALK
Raised
on
a
diet
of
truth,
honesty
and
some
heavy
doses
of
reality,
Generation
Edge
expect
the
world
to
be
a
tough
place.
They’ve
been
taught
that
the
motivations
of
brands,
corporations
and
institutions
are
seldom
what
they
seem.
Edgers
have
received
direct
and
adult
straight-­‐talk
from
their
parents
for
years.
Brands
that
pander,
condescend
or
rely
on
lazy
young-­‐person
stereotypes
will
not
connect.
Engage
Generaiton
Edge
through
honest,
real
language.
Their
marketing
bullshit
meter
is
=inely
tuned
and
will
call
out
brands
that
don’t
talk
their
walk.
BRAND IMPLICATIONS

18. PARENTS ARE NO
LONGER THE ‘ENEMY’
Generation
Edge
appreciate
the
honest
and
respectful
relationship
they
have
with
their
parents.
In
addition,
their
parents
open
encouragement
to
be
their
own
unique
self
has
Generation
Edge
seeing
their
parents
as
trusted
allies.
Don’t
assume
that
parents
aren’t
already
part
of
the
conversation.
Amongst
Generation
Edge,
even
some
of
the
most
sensitive
topics
(eg.
contraception)
are
open
and
out
on
the
table
with
their
parents.
Consider
ways
to
engage
Generation
Edge
through
their
parents
and
vice
versa.
In
addition,
communications
that
attempt
to
paint
parents
as
the
enemy,
or
out
of
touch,
will
fall
=lat
with
Edgers.
BRAND IMPLICATIONS

19. PACK YOUR OWN
CHUTE
Raised
by
parents
less
obsessed
with
winning
or
their
kids
obtaining
traditional
markers
of
‘success’,
results
in
Edgers
focused
on
standing
out
rather
than
being
#1.
Consider
ways
to
allow
your
message,
content
or
products
to
drive
the
individualism
or
competitive
differentiation
that
Edgers
crave.
Consider
spokespeople
or
brand
representatives
that
have
broken
molds,
overcome
adversity
or
re=lect
empowered
uniqueness.
BRAND IMPLICATIONS

20. UNDERSTANDING A NEW GENERATION
WWW.THESOUNDHQ.COM
THANK YOUinfo@thesoundhq.com

21. RESOURCES

22. RESOURCES
COVER https://hrcktheherald.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/img_6318-2.jpeg
SLIDE 5 http://www.nytimes.com/1988/09/22/us/health-psychology-studies-play-down-dangers-to-latchkey-children.html
SLIDE 6 http://www.forbes.com/sites/neilhowe/2014/08/27/generation-x-once-xtreme-now-exhausted-part-5-of-7/
SLIDE 7
http://www.governing.com/topics/mgmt/gov-how-generation-x-shaping-government.html
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/may/08/generation-x-50-whatever
http://www.salon.com/2013/08/11/generation_x_gets_really_old_how_do_slackers_have_a_midlife_crisis/
SLIDE 8
http://www.edutopia.org/generation-x-parents-relationships-guide
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/boring-playgrounds-deprive-kids/story-e6freuzi-1111113822631
SLIDE 9 http://www.statista.com/statistics/298762/united-states-generation-x-preference-organic-foods/
SLIDE 10 http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/my-money/2013/01/02/did-generation-x-cause-the-housing-crisis
SLIDE 11 http://www.aasa.org/SchoolAdministratorArticle.aspx?id=11122
SLIDE 13 http://www.nurtureshock.com
SLIDE 14 http://www.edutopia.org/generation-x-parents-relationships-guide
SLIDE 15 http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/parenting/wp/2014/09/29/parenting-as-a-gen-xer-what-its-like-to-be-the-first-generation-of-parents-in-the-age-of-ieverything/