economicmultipliers_137

Economic Multipliers (137)

Do you know what these are?

They help CREATE wealth in systems.

Optimism is an economic multiplier.

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Recently I chatted with a 30-year-old customer service representative whose children ‘tracked Santa’ as part of their holiday experience and who noted that his kids had been eagerly awaiting their gifts for a couple months. He was curious as to whether my holiday was similar.

I noted that although my childhood and later years have included Santa and the anticipation of presents, I thought that the holidays are mainly a time to work on developing good and strong enduring relationships among family members. And, although presents are fun, it’s more important that kids know they’ll have what they need during the year when they need it.

He probably thought that I don’t believe kids need to be kids … and have fun. On the contrary, I thought perhaps that he was immersing his children in a world where they would need to grow up too fast.

For kids, family is their ‘first world.’ Good relationships that must be cultivated (particularly among siblings) that provide lifelong support are the greatest gift any parent can give their children.

The local community … neighbors, schools, parents’ coworkers and friends … is their ‘second world.’ Good relationships (particularly among similar age friends) that must be cultivated that provide lifelong support are the greatest gift any ‘community’ can give their children.

I noted that there are many ‘broader’ problems (that I clearly would not expect his children to be worried about but hopefully be aware of along with the steps that ‘adults’ are taking to help resolve them) that older people (including myself) many times think about in relation to the challenges future generations will face.

Each generation will always have its ‘challenges’ and I mentioned increasing water rates, an expanding number of young people (due to military activities) who need longterm care and external and internal issues which can make communities be and/or seem less safe.

As a 30-year-old in a technology field, I don’t expect his children to be thinking about these weighty issues. I simply hope that as he provides experiences and gifts for his children, he thinks about how he and the generations coming after him will help the United States maintain and improve upon the quality of life while helping other nations do the same.

I wish for him that he is able to help his kids develop into physically, mentally and emotionally healthy adults who are surrounded ONLY by individuals who want to help them (and the surrounding community) be and stay physically, mentally and emotionally healthy.

Hope springs eternal.

If the technology we have today is used to teach children and adults how to ‘build’ themselves, ‘build’ their relationships and ‘build’ their world, I shall always celebrate a ‘tracking Santa’ app which connects the youngest of our generations to all their hopes and dreams ... because they will be achievable … including ‘peace’ … in their lives, in their families, in their communities, in their nations and ‘on earth.’

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P.S. In a world where online ‘bullying’ has come to the forefront as a national problem, the greatest challenge parents might face is in finding ways to surround their kids with only individuals who want good things for them … individuals who would only take actions which would help their children stay physically, mentally and emotionally healthy.