Admin Announcement Possible changes for the Life stages area

[FreeinChrist]

The Admins and Advisors are considering changes for the Life Stages area. These forums would stay the same but may be subtitled in an area called Relationships:

• Singles
• Courting Couples
• Married Couples
• Parenting
• Widow/Widowers

These forums will change:

• Young Adults
• Roaring Twenties
• Terrific Thirties
• Fabulous Forties
• Golden Eagles 50+

Replace with:

• GEN Z------------ born 1999 to 2015.
• MILLENNIALS--- born 1984 to 1998.
• GEN X ------------ born 1965 to 1983.
• Golden Eagles-------- born 1946 to 1964 but will include anyone 50 and up as of 2019

There are a few reasons for this. First, this will solve the issue of friends aging out of a given forum that is strictly moderated by age. Second, some forums are not very active as the focus is too limiting, and this may provide more people in each of the subforums participating in the discussions.
As to Golden Eagles, since it has been active, we do not want to change it by cutting out those who are 50 - 54 in 2019 who have been participating there. Therefore, anyone who is 50 and up in 2019 will be able to participate in that forum.

Once the change is made, we will start threads in Gen Z, Millennials and Gen X for suggestions for names for the forums and then do a poll. The members of that forum can select the name they like most.

We plan to leave Teens as it is.

 

[FreeinChrist]

Thoughts?

 

[Citanul]

My suggestion is that there be some overlap with the date ranges. There's no standard definition as to when each generation starts, and it would give those who are on the cusp of a generation a chance to decide which one suits them best.

 

[FreeinChrist]

We are pretty rigid with the ages in Teens.

Perhaps we can let each group decide how rigid they want the forum to be. It will take some thought though. It wouldn't be good for someone who is 10 years or more younger to post negatively about boomers in Golden Eagles.

 

[usexpat97]

I don't have a strong opinion, but just giving one to try and help.

I think it indeed does solve the problem of aging out, provided the rules are loose somewhat and...you know...no big deal if someone is a year or two out-of-bounds--especially if they've been to the forum before, or the topic is something they can still relate to even if the exact boundaries are a bit off (say, the topic is Vietnam, and someone was born in 1964. They were a kid during Vietnam, too--not just the official Gen X'ers).

There might be a built-in "cheat" to Teens already, since that basically ends at 19, and that is college age. It's possible you draw the line at 21, since that is considered an adult.

What I do have a personal opinion on is, I would like to be able to have not-my-exact-birthday on my profile, and it not matter. That is identifying information. If my birthday is December 7th, but I put down February 14th of the following year, no big deal. I don't want to disclose my birthday.

 

[mama2one]

I like the names now as they sound much better than switching to the "generational" names

the generational names have negative associations
when a person is classified under a certain generational name, people think of those negative associations

it is also assumed that all boomers are a certain way or all millennials are a certain way

terrific thirties, fabulous forties, etc don't have those negatives the way generational names do (my 2 cents)

 

[FreeinChrist]

Well, I would like to start a poll after each forum is made and the members of that group can decide on the name.