By the time a child grows up and thinks his father was right, he has a son of his own who thinks his father is wrong.” Between every father and son, there is a gap of at least twenty years. This gap makes the father and the son stand poles apart. The father looks at one thing from one angle and the son views it from an entirely different angle. The number ‘nine’ is viewed by the father as ‘9’ and by the son as ‘6’. This difference in perception is due to the generation gap between them.
“By the time a child grows up and thinks his father was right, he has a son of his own who thinks his father is wrong.”
Between every father and son, there is a gap of at least twenty years. This gap makes the father and the son stand poles apart. The father looks at one thing from one angle and the son views it from an entirely different angle. The number ‘nine’ is viewed by the father as ‘9’ and by the son as ‘6’. This difference in perception is due to the generation gap between them.
The problem of generation gap is not new. It has been faced by different generations of all ages. In present times, however, it has attained an enormous magnitude. The modern world is moving very fast because of new day-to-day inventions and technologies. Today, even if a master degree holder in computer studies remains out of touch with the machine for just six months, he feels he has regressed years back. Thus, in such a fast paced world of technology, parents find it difficult to keep up with the maturity of thought or quick-wittedness of their children. Consequently, both parents and children find it hard to understand each other’s point of views. Parents are inclined to think that their children will misuse modern technology, (computers, mobiles, internet, etc.) and that it would lead to their destruction. Children, on the other hand, consider their parents to be outdated.
In the West, this gap is growing tremendously. Children are normally not bothered about what their parents think or feel, but in the East, both parents and children are trying to bridge this gap. Our religion, culture and the way our children are being brought up play a vital role in keeping both parents and children close the parties intact.
Generation gap can only be bridged through mutual counseling and understanding. Children should realize the fact that their parents are much more experienced. They have been through the thick and thin of life, and if they suggest something to their kids, it is certainly for their benefit. Parents raise their children with love, care and a lot of struggle and then they naturally expect their kids to be obedient. On the other hand, parents should also give their children some space. They should not impose their decisions on them.
There are times when we come across people with entirely different views on the same subject. For example, a T.V drama was watched by the people of three different generations - children, their parents and their grandparents. The drama was about a boy and a girl who wanted to marry each another. Now the message was perceived differently by all three generations. The grandparents firmly suggested that parents should never allow children to make such an important decision themselves and leave it entirely to their parents’ discretion. The father and the mother were of the opinion that the boy and the girl should at least involve their parents in this decision. If the parents don’t agree, then they should not marry. Children were of the view that if their parents don’t agree, they should go for a better option - court marriage.
Now, if we closely observe, none of the solutions suggested by the three generations are entirely good or bad. Their tackling of things depends on their culture, background and the kind of situations they have been in.
I think the difference in opinions can be sorted out mutually. Both parties should take steps to understand each other’s perceptions. Children should not always make parents realize that they are old and outdated, and thus can’t understand them. They should not consider parents their enemies if the latter forbid them to do something they want to do. But there are matters where parents should give their children some liberty. For example, in case of choosing a life partner, parents should give children at least some freedom to decide for themselves. They should not impose their decisions on them. But then, there are certainly some issues where children must not be given any flexibility, like in case of smoking, drinking, etc. Children should also realize that smoking is injurious to health and sensible people should never ever allow their children to do it. Thus, there are many occasions where parents don’t agree with children’s wishes, and children must realize that their parents are justified.
Parents and their offspring are facing this problem of the widening gulf of generation gap more than ever. But there is no denying the fact that it can be best solved by today’s people due to quality education. Education enables a man to handle things in different situations. Children are educated and parents, too, are mature enough to understand things. The problem arises when nobody is ready to listen to each other’s position, and is inclined to impose his own will. One does not need to be selfish here. It is very difficult to maintain peace in the family if there is always a conflict of opinions. So, both the parties should come forward to bridge this conflict. Children should try to put themselves in their parents’ shoes. They should think what they would have done if they were parents. While asking permission for anything, children should also consider how they would react if put in a similar situation. Parents, on the other hand, should also try to acquire education to understand modern skills. This will enable them to carry on with their children with equal pace, and also understand their needs and demands better. Parents should realize that their children are now living in a different world than their yesteryears. The modern world has different demands and children’s demands should be fulfilled according to those needs. What was considered totally wrong in the past could be totally acceptable at their children’s time. In our culture, almost twenty years back, permitting a daughter to go abroad all alone for studies was unthinkable. But today, it has become a common practice. If the daughter is capable enough, then the parents should not force her to quit the idea of going abroad just because she is a girl. Thus parents should allow their children within proper limits to do what they want, according to the demands of the day.
Generation gap was and will always be there as far as the age factor is concerned, but how much this gap can be bridged depends on both parents and children. It needs mutual effort and cannot be achieved unless both the parties wish to do it. Parents should, therefore, try to understand their children’s point of view before reaching a decision. Children should also show some concern for their parents’ feelings and emotions before deciding anything. There should be proper counseling involved on either side. They all should be ready to listen to each other’s stance and try to accommodate each other.
