Plant the Seed: Make Your Bitcoin Meetups More Family-Friendly

This is an opinion editorial by Tali Lindbergh, a mother, co-founder of Free Market Kids, and host of “Orange Hater: The Bitcoin Podcast for Busy Women.”

Typically, bitcoin meetups fall into two types: “bitdevs” and “plebs.” Formerly, coders would gather to discuss technical developments in the bitcoin ecosystem, and discussions would be filled with jargon and complex concepts. Afterwards, bitcoin enthusiasts gather to discuss current events in the bitcoin sector and offer beginner-friendly workshops. During our travels, my husband Scott and I have attended many meetings of both types.

Yet, recently, we found ourselves in a meeting that turned the normal rulebook upside down. Allow me to take you on a journey that evening and maybe inspire your own bitcoin groups to do something similar.

‘It’s going to fall apart!’

When Scott and I arrived at a meeting place in Winchester, Virginia, we were greeted at the door by two laughing little girls. He pointed at us, shook hands, and then quickly walked inside. Scott and I smiled and thought, “This is going to be different!”

Walking inside a few moments later, we were again greeted by something unusual. At the front of the room, in front of the entrance, a small grand piano resounded with the beat of drums and loud voices. The same two girls who waved to us at the door and excitedly announced, “We’re having a concert!”

They both laughed and fiddled in their seats, nodding their heads from side to side in time with their own music.

event organizer, Gary Krause Did Shenandoah Bitcoin ClubHolding my hand, he walked towards us, welcoming us to meet that night.

He explained that several families had RSVP’d for the family game night and, despite the rain, he was hopeful that we would get a good show. While we were talking and waiting for the guests to arrive, a 5-year-old girl grabbed both of my hands and pulled me to the front of the room, where she stood on her toes with her hands above her head. Used to dance and sea dance. draw an arc.

“Come, follow me! You can do it!” His soft voice encouraged me. The other little girl suddenly played the piano as an accompanist.

The first family to arrive came with a baby and a 3 year old. The child was immediately taken off the maternal uncle’s lap by a family friend, who coaxed and tossed the child while the adults greeted each other. The girl’s older brother went up to the little girls who had by now stopped acting and the three of them shared an instant understanding of a secret game and walked away.

One by one other families also came. more children. more noise. more laughter And we haven’t even started playing the games yet!

‘I wish these were real bitcoin!’

When the pizza was delivered and we were all seated, I looked around and realized that there were more kids than adults at this bitcoin meetup. Their ages spanned the entire spectrum of childhood: from a wide-eyed 1-year-old to a mature 17-year-old.

We set up two game tables. I wasn’t sure how it would work, as some of the kids were so young. At my table, the kids ranged in age from 5 to 9. I explained how to play “HODL Up” in the best possible way to such a small audience. Thankfully, there were two parents standing by to help explain the game to their kids. The smallest ones didn’t last long. Very soon, they got tired of hearing the rules and started apologizing. There were two adults and three children between the ages of 7 and 9 left at my table. At Scott’s Table, the kids were ages 13 and up.

The play ensued and the kids quickly grasped the concepts. After just a few tries, they learned that keeping their bitcoins in cold storage was the only way to keep their earnings safe. He displayed good nature and reacted with extreme exclamations and gloom when he won or lost bitcoin.

The guy sitting next to me kept saying, “I wish these were real bitcoin!” Pointing to the coins stacked on his wallet card. Isn’t this what every bitcoiner hopes to hear from their kids: that they want to HODL some real bitcoin?!

At the second table, where the older children were playing with several adults, the reactions to wins and losses were even more intense! Their games lasted longer, as each player was intent on winning and took his time evaluating strategies.

When both the games were over, all the children dispersed. The older children took out their phones, the younger children left the table to run around the room, and the child went to another affectionate family friend, who was lying on the floor, holding the child in Superman pose with his head. was raised up.

The adults, who learned game mechanics and strategies from the first game, engaged in a new game, determined to HODL even more bitcoins on their second attempt.

Looking at the scene around me, it felt like I’d stepped into a heartwarming Hallmark movie. What really made this evening extraordinary was the inclusivity. Families lived together, in a disorganized manner. The children were neither asked to sit quietly nor sent to another room. Bitcoin, in all its complexity, was unraveled through a simple game in the most natural, family-friendly setting possible. No stern lectures about how bad our fiat system is, how the government is printing money or how volatile bitcoin’s dollar-exchange rate is.

A simple yet important solution everyone took that night was to secure their bitcoins in cold storage. No lectures, just a fun-filled evening where even the youngest players learn the most important lessons.

bitcoin is for everyone

Returning from Virginia, Scott and I hosted a family fun event in the park with our Bitcoin Meetup Kentuckiana Bitcoin Club, Instead of having our meeting at a pub, restaurant or office, we opted to hold it at a local park with a playground and volleyball court. While the setting made it a bit challenging to listen to an amazing Zoom presentation about Bolt 12, it was great for the families of bitcoiners to meet. The kids ran back and forth from the playground to the table where the adults were sitting, and that was fine. Children learn through osmosis. Our work is always only to sow the seed. Who knows how the seeds will be watered and how long it will take for them to germinate? All we know is that our job is to plant the seed, especially among children.

So, what’s the takeaway here? How can your family be involved in your bitcoin meetings? Instead of taking Dad/Mom to a meeting for a few hours every week or month, what if the whole family was involved? What if husband and wife meet each other and children play together?

I am not suggesting that all bitcoin meetings involve the whole family. There is certainly a place for technical debates and discussion of current events, but perhaps occasionally (a quarter or two a year), families can come together. After all, bitcoin is for everyone. We should spread and plant the seeds far and wide, starting from our homes, our families.

This is a guest post by Tally Lindbergh. The opinions expressed are solely his own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of BTC Inc. or Bitcoin Magazine.