generation gap

GENERATION GAP

On 28^th Aug, 2015, our helpline received a call saying that one college student had brought a girl to the Gandhi Park and was sharing intimate moments there. The same youth had brought another girl to the same spot on the previous day. While speaking with them during the counselling session, we found that the boy was an adult and the girl was an adolescent. It was surprising to find that they were meeting each other for the first time. They connected and fell in love through facebook. The girl had travelled hours to reach the place. The details went like this.  The girl was chatting with him by using her mother’s cell phone.  She had saved his number on the cell phone in the name of her classmate – another girl.  So her parents never doubted anything and she had spent hours chatting with her facebook lover from her mother’s phone. The parents were very protective of her and she was being cheated by a man under their very nose! There is a widening gap between parents and their children.

There are many causes why the generation gap between parents and their children is formed. First of all, the greatest difference perceived between the generations is the way of using technology. Today the world is more advanced each day, as a result of the fast paced development of the society. Parents do not even know many of the modern technologies and equipments children use.

Second, a majority of parents spend too little time communicating with and listening to their children, even though they ‘love’ them very much. Notwithstanding, children do not share their school life or other day-to-day events with their parents. Parents may not know what their children are thinking about. Lack of time spent with children is a great reason for the creating a gap and love is communicated through presence and time spent with children.

Third, parents may have absolute control over their children. They want their children to have more advantages and opportunities. Thus, children may not have complete freedom in the choice of those leisure activities. As a result, children always believe that their parents are against their opinions all the way. They try to keep everything secretive and do not tell their parents when they encounter problems.

Fourth, due to the traditional custom, most parents adopt a straight face and do not show their feelings when they talk to their children. On the other hand, children believe that they are grown-ups and it is high time for them to be independent. On the whole, both parents and their children do not see things from the standpoints of each other. Thus, misunderstanding is a great cause for the formation of generation gap.

Bridging the generation gap is essential. To tackle this problem, there are some ways by which such gap can be bridged.

1.    Parents need to gain adequate knowledge of the latest technologies that are used by their children so that they can know beforehand possible dangers.

2.    Parents and their children have to be aware of the importance of open communication and parents need to take initiative for the same.

3.    Parents should not have too high expectations. On the other hand, parents should know what their children like the most.

4.    Parents must not start a conversation by giving orders. Instead, they can begin by discussing a topic that can hold their children’s interests. Become friends of children.

5.    Never let your children feel ashamed of the parents. Be role models.

6.    Parents need make their children understand their limitations and define boundaries for them.

7.    Relationship between parents and kids is sensitive, hence dignity to be maintained to preserve the love and emotions in the relationship.

8.    Teach all you want to your children before they reach teenage and you will have a bright and responsible youth.

Let us remember a merry family requires lots of give-and-take, and it really needs the co-operation of all its members. Accordingly, the generation gap between parents and their children can easily be bridged.