I am one of those early Boomers who did not grow up in the suburbs in a middle class household. We were a very large family and very poor. Of the seven children in my family I was the one most determined to get out of the poverty cycle, and I was willing to work very, very hard to do that. I was also willing to do without an awful lot of things in the present to make sure my future was better. That entailed being willing to relocate three different times to three different states when my children were growing up so that we wouldn't keep falling behind whenever there was a recession. It entailed saving every last penny that was "extra" in a passbook savings account until we had enough to put a down payment on a "starter" home so that I could realize the dream of owning a home. My parents never owned a home, never had any of the things other middle class '50's families had. It also entailed being absolutely adamant that I would use birth control and limit my family size once I married.

My parents gave me values that I live by to this day and that is that things do not buy happiness and nothing is guaranteed in life. The best thing they drummed into my head is be yourself, think for yourself and do not buy into the hype you hear on TV. Question everything. Do not try to keep up with the Joneses.