Generation means all human beings born & living around the same time; also known as coevals. And when there is a significant gap of time among two coevals, it is defined as ‘generation gap’.
When we compare two generations and when there is a considerable difference in the lifestyles, habits likes and dislikes of the people belonging to these two separate times, problems due to age gap arise. And it is no secret that these days this gap is widening by leaps and bounds.
More and more parents and their offspring agree that they just can’t understand each other. This lack of understanding of social, moral, political, musical, sartorial or religious opinions leads to lack of acceptance, which is the primary reason why families break.
Here are a few pointers for parents which can help bridge this ever widening gap:
1. Communicate constantly
There cannot be more truth to this than the fact that communication plays an important role in bridging gaps not only between parents and children but also every relationship that we can think of. When we communicate respectfully with our children, we are letting them know that we are willing to do all it takes to lessen the age gap and understand things from their point of view.
2. Be open minded
Open mindedness means widening your horizons. When horizons are widened and we open the doors and windows of our heart, we look at things with a new perspective. This helps us understand why what is being said is actually said. This is very important if we want to understand our children’s priorities and habits.
3. Learn to accept
Trying to understand your children’s’ world is no mean task. It takes a lot of effort to understand the younger generation. We have to first accept that we lived in a different world. For us, that was an ideal world with less corruption, less hypocrisy, less cheating and less of every bad thing we see so much increased now.
But then, we will have to accept today’s times too, especially the fact that all is not all that bad. And then we have to make the effort to understand and accept our children’s perspectives and priorities. That is a big step we can take towards bridging the generation gap.
4. Listen & understand
We as parents sometimes tend to talk too idealistic. We will have to stop that. We will have to learn to listen, and then to understand. Giving lectures all the time is not at all a good idea.
5. Silence is golden sometimes
Yes, sometimes, we have to learn to be silent too. We have to let our children voice their opinions and listen to what they are saying, without interrupting them. Let’s practice what we have always preached.
In conclusion, the reality of a generation gap is only in terms of age. If we let our ego’s aside and look at things from an entirely different perspective, we perhaps would never have a gap between us and our children. This does not mean we do not do what is needed to do as parents. It just means we become a little more understanding and accepting of what our children see as their ‘world’.
More Resources:
The Effects Of Verbal Abuse On Children
Incorporate Sexual Knowledge In Kids
Four Simple Ways To Deal With Stubborn Teenagers
The Pros and Cons of Transracial Adoptions