The generation gap is the difference of opinions between one generation and another in values, beliefs, politics, and so on. Parents are mostly considered the cause of a generation gap for a number of reasons, such as not taking time to listen, being set in their ways and thinking they always know the best. Firstly, many parents are too busy with their work and running the household. Therefore, on occasions, they find it difficult to spend more time to listen to their children’s ideas and understand their thoughts. Children are always eager to tell parents what they think, but some parents don’t spend enough time communicating with them. Day by day, year by year, some parents find that they can’t agree with their children’s opinions. Secondly, parents can be set in their ways and are unwilling to walk into their children’s world. They may consider themselves more knowledgeable than their children because they are older and have more life experience, so they seldom talk to their children about modern life. Children have different thoughts, opinions and knowledge from their parents. This could result in both parents and children finding it hard to communicate and get along with each other. Thirdly, parents may not feel confident with new technology and do not want to appear less knowledgeable than their children. Modern high-tech changes at such a high speed that many parents find it difficult to keep up with. Children, on the other hand, are born into an era of high technology and are very knowledgeable on how to use it. It is part of their everyday life. As some parents do not understand high technology very well, they find it easier to ignore it. If they want to be part of a changing world of technology, they should turn to their children for help. This could create a better understanding between parents and their children and allow them to strengthen communication and share their interests. In conclusion, parents should make time to interact with their children. If the generation gap is inevitable, parents, as the adults, should take the responsibility to attempt to narrow the gap by encouraging their children to talk freely about their thoughts, ideas and hopes for the future. |