Living with a Millennial

I’m a proud Baby Boomer with a daughter who falls right in the middle of the Millennial Generation (Gen Y). My world view was formed by the Civil Rights movement, the Vietnam War, the Watergate scandal, and major political assassinations (President Kennedy and Martin Luther King).

My daughter, born in 1989, was shaped by September 11 terrorist acts, the war in Iraq, shootings at Columbine, MySpace, Facebook, YouTube videos and the ever-present iPhone (her alarm clock and constant companion).

Although we have different communications preferences and comfort zones, we manage to peacefully co-exist and find common ground. She loves to prepare great-tasting vegan meals (by checking out online vegan recipes or putting her iPhone on the counter and reading the recipe as she cooks). And I enjoy eating her healthy dishes, more than cooking. If I’m forced to cook, I turn to a familiar family recipe that was handwritten on a yellowing and faded index card. And I don’t care what the online reviews are for my Louisiana gumbo recipe!

In high school, in the 1970s, I was a cheerleader. She ran cross-country and played soccer in high school in the early 2000s. We both majored in communications in college. My emphasis was print journalism. Her focus was on online and print media. But we are both members of Toastmasters International. My club meets at night, hers meets in the morning before 8 a.m. … Way too early!

I prefer telephone, face-to-face and email communications, while I always see my 23-year-old daughter texting and Facebook messaging.

But we share common values. We both want to save the world and express ourselves as creative, caring, tree-hugging women! Our next family trip is a wildlife safari in Osceola County!