The Differences between Children and Parents Age Groups

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The Differences between Children and Parents Age Groups

The generational difference relates to the gap between one generation and the other (Gravett & Throckmorton, 2007). These gaps are brought about as a result of varying attitudes, tastes and preferences, goals in life and their level of priorities. Due to a change of environment, the lifestyles between parents and their children have greatly changed as well (Gravett & Throckmorton, 2007). Parents have a different perspective about the future whereas the children have a totally different perspective about life as well. The generational gap between my generation and that of my parents is so immense unlike that of the previous generations. Globalization and the emergence of advanced technology has greatly affected the relationship between children and parents (Gravett & Throckmorton, 2007).

The generational gap during the olden days was not complicated. It was normal to see two or three generations sharing the same lifestyle and same environments as well. The rate of development at that time was slow (Prasad, 1992). In recent times, the generational gap is more complex with the previous generations considered as old-fashioned. Quite a number of parents in the modern generation are perplexed by the evolving technologies their children are using. For some, such modern equipments are complicated and difficult to use as well (Gravett & Throckmorton, 2007).

Today’s generation, also known as the generation Y, does not condone any form of interference especially if their private life is under scrutiny. The current generation doesn’t like when parents order them around. In case parents interfere by correcting them and advocating for the appropriate thing to do, the children tend to become rebellious towards their parents (Prasad, 1992). This rebellion is brought about by lack of proper dialogue between parents and children (Prasad, 1992). Most parents fall under the category working citizens. They leave the house early in the morning and come back late at night. This means both the parents and children create their own form of generational gap and thus most people prioritize their careers more than their families and gender gaps. An example occurs when a parent refuses to share their perspective about teenage life to their children because of either work related issues; the children build a wall towards their parents. Such differences in most cases put the children and parents in difficult situations especially when trying to come into terms about revolving issues.

Social lifestyles have changed as well especially with respect to the generations’ preceding our parents (Gravett & Throckmorton, 2007). In the previous society, certain things were considered forbidden in the past for example wearing of fancy clothes and male piercing. This has drastically changed in the modern society. Due to parental negligence, most children have changed focus from growing up into societal role models but instead, they turned out quite the opposite. Most parents tend to compare their children to how they were brought up during their period (Gravett & Throckmorton, 2007). This creates a generational gap because children grow more defiant and detach themselves from their parents. One way of overcoming such rebellion is through parental understanding of how children grow up. Understanding the modern child’s lifestyle aids in evaluating the children into making right decisions. This also enables the parents and children relate mutually without one party feeling out of place (Gravett & Throckmorton, 2007).

Summarily, when parents and children differ over certain issues, there emerges a state of displeasure. This tends to make parents and children avoid each other and in the process, becoming rebellious. One way parents may overcome such issues is by trying to understand their children and evaluate their parental roles with respect to modern issues. By doing so, parents and children would come to a mutual understanding, which would build a good relationship in the future.

Reference

Gravett, L. & Throckmorton, R. (2007). Bridging the Generation Gap: How to Get Radio Babies, Boomers, Gen Xers, And Gen Yers to Work Together And Achieve More. New Jersey: Career Press Publishers.

Prasad, R. (1992). Generation Gap, a Sociological Study of Inter-generational Conflicts. New Delhi: Mittal Publications.