`The Nanas and the Papas'

`The Nanas and the Papas' is a great article at the Chicago Tribune (requires free registration) about Baby Boomers becoming grandparents. I found the following particularly interesting.

But Dr. Arthur Kornhaber, a psychiatrist who has been studying the grandparent-grandchild relationship since the 1970s, is beginning to notice that as the notoriously workaholic Baby Boomers age, they start to realize how much they have sacrificed to advance their careers, make money and travel the globe.

"I see that with grandchildren, they suddenly realize they have another chance at things," said Kornhaber, who also is president of the Foundation for Grandparenting. "They start to grow out of their narcissism, out of their whole `me' thing. They begin to realize that transmitting their minds and talents and souls to children--their grandchildren--is what immortality is really all about."

Maybe there is hope for Boomers yet. On the other hand, as bad as Boomers have messed things up, I am not convinced passing along minds, talents and souls is such a good idea.