Boomers are signing up to mentor and help kids with schoolwork, storytime or just a friendly conversation. They are actively teaching themselves and each other how to serve our children better and how to repurpose their hard earned wisdom and time to answer this education crisis.
Given the right platform, tools and community, kids and boomers can help solve each other’s immediate needs – attention, isolation, education – while delivering long term positive outcomes for both – resilience, purpose, and legacy.
We see the benefits of this dynamic transpire daily at Eldera, where we are addressing these needs by re-imagining one of the oldest concepts in the world, that of intergenerational symbiosis employed in early villages. This time, a virtual global village.
As one of our mentors, Jay, put it, “I want to give my mentees what I needed when I was their age. It is my way of giving back.”
And parents are beyond grateful! Micah, the dad of an Eldera mentee wrote: “Just a quick note to extend my deep gratitude for connecting us with Ken. Our family really feels blessed to have Ken in our life (virtually), particularly during this challenging and historic time.”
This pandemic does not have to be the social recession we all feared – it may ignite a societal panacea by reconnecting generations where young and old support each other towards building a sustainable future for all.
In light of this global crisis, the true heroes are exposed — boomers across the country who are generously sharing their wisdom, time, and attention, transforming the “OK BOOMER” meme into a “THANK YOU BOOMER” movement.
Dana Griffin is the co-founder and CEO of Eldera.ai and in a mutual mentorship relationship with Chip. Eldera.ai is the global intergenerational platform that pairs kids from around the world with vetted mentors (at least 60 years young) for virtual connection.