Baby Boomers

Baby Boomers A baby boomer is someone who was born after World War II. The baby-boom generation lasted from 1945 to 1964. Seventy-six million American children were born during this time period. Baby boomers represent 29% of the U.S. population. This year these kids would be between forty-six and sixty-four years old. These children were born during a great social change in America. These social changes, including music and events, greatly affected this generation. Kids born in the earlier years of the baby boom generation lived to see the deaths of President Kennedy, Bobby Kennedy, and Martin Luther King, Jr., and the Vietnam War. However those born in the later years had no part in any of these events, they were most likely exposed to illegal drugs, and they weren’t subjected to the military draft. This was also the generation that increased the divorce rate to 50%. Many baby boomers worked for a company and worked their way to the top, and our now beginning to retire and live a life of leisure. The first boomer is the first baby born after midnight on the night of December 31, 1945. Kathleen Casey-Kirschling is identified as the first baby boomer, having been born at one second after midnight. In the 50’s, businesses focused on stuff for kids. Gerber was huge in the 50’s, there was an enormous growth in the variety and quantity of toys, and TV focused mainly on kids shows, Disneyland was built, stylish cars of the 60’s and 70’s were for boomers. During the first half of the 21st century there was an explosion of stuff for aging boomers: active retirement communities and vacation homes, skin creams, cosmetic surgery, lasik surgery, and treatments for balding men. Baby boomers make up a majority of today’s work force. The growth in the economy from the 90’s is due to the 75 million ‘babies’ working. Baby boomers control over 80% of personal financial assets and more than 50% of discretionary spending power. They are responsible for more than half of all

Cited: 1. So What’s a Boomer, Anyhow? Baby Boomer Headquaters. 1998-2011