Generation gap is nothing but certain psychological and emotional gap between parents or elder people and the younger ones. Bulging generation gap creates misunderstanding and lack of attachment between the parents and children. The success of parenting lies in how effectively they avoid the generation gap or ignore the differences with kids.
Generation gap is the result of the fast paced development of the society. In earlier times two or three generations live in the same lifestyle and environments as the development was so slow. But today, nearest past is very much outdated and the world is more advanced each day. Parents do not even know many of the modern technologies and equipments children use.
Tips for parents to cope with generation gap
Being up to date is the only way to cope up with the generation gap. When you are asked a doubt by your children, and if your answer is that you do not know, then you may be counted an outdated man or person of the gone age. To avoid this situation, try to be current and updated with information and technologies. Never make your kids feel that you think in some old fashion. When children express their feelings, understand them in the modern world context.
- Certain things considered a taboo have been changed into socially acceptable in the modern world. Many parents do the mistake of evaluating children by comparing their age with that of parent’s when he/she was in the same age. When a parent was in fifteen, he/she might need a bicycle, but their child of same age may ask for a motor bike. Understanding the requirements of time and lifestyles of modern children will help evaluating children and taking right decisions without making kids feel you an outdated parent.
- Make friendship with them instead of being rude parents. Let them express all their feelings to you. This will help in both the ways. You can cope up with the generation gap by learning the feelings and requirements of the children and also guide kids if you feel that they are mislead. Friendship with kids will help you to maintain the smooth family relationship. From deep friendly attachment with parents, kids will learn to respect them and obey them.
- In fact, there are no global standards of attitudes. Different people may have different attitudes. People of same age may exhibit different attitudes. But, when such difference in attitudes come under one roof, then it affects effective communications and active relationships. Knowing it better is the right way of avoiding it.
- The world is a smart world today, being smart enough to cope up with the modern world will help parents to be equal with the younger generations. However hard parents try to be like younger generations, they can never become exactly equal, but can cope up with the newer generations and dismiss the possible issues generated out of generation gap.
- Bridging the generation gap between parent and children is essential. Parents often contribute their share in digging gap between parents and children by pushing the kid’s beyond their limits. This happens in two ways. Parents either demands higher than the limits of the child or pushes the child beyond the economical or social limits of parents themselves. This, in future, makes the child going astray from the lifestyle and status of parents. If child grows higher, parents should, at least, grow in attitudes and thinking levels to cope up with the child. Larger generation gap means greater lack of understanding.
- Never make your child feeling ashamed of the parents. If he expresses his desires on the look or behavior or his/her parents, be ready to change for him/her, but of course reasonably. For example, if your child says that his friend’s parents come on a luxury car, then you buying another luxury car is stupidity, but when your child says that you speak more loudly or dress up in old fashion, then you can think about changing them. This way you can cope up with the expectations of the kids and always be updated.
- Know that the age of your kids is more than a number. As they grow on passing through ages, their thinking pattern changes; the way they look at the world change; the way they express feelings change. Parents should learn to understand the growth of the kids. A twenty year boy should not be dealt with same as when he was five year old.
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