Generation Gap

Generation gap is often defined as the difference of outlooks or opinion between people of different generations, sometimes resulting to conflict or misunderstandings on behavioral terms and perception. With this view of generation gap, it often makes people of the older generation to wonder what has happened to the youth or the new generation, as to how it was back then. They feel that during that time, children had more respect and displayed more proper behavior to the elderly. Yet the younger generation feel that they can lead through life with no guidance or the need to heavily lean towards the elderly for advice.

One of the most common examples of generation gap can be found in families, a matter between parents and their children. Children being young and immature, tend to neglect or raise a deaf ear towards their parent's heeds and words of wisdom. As to parents, being mature and wiser, tend to look with a blind eye in empathizing with the changing values and thinking pattern of the modern world, creating also a communication gap between the generations. Another main reason for this is that parents fail to talk openly to their children about conflicts and problems that occur in their children's lives, thus often leading to frustrated parties.This makes children see parents as authoritative figures as they only tell children what they must do without really explaining to the child why they must do it, as their only reference to that command is the mere thought that it was how it was done back in the day, which seems right and proper for them. As to parents, being blinded by their incompetence and confidence or being too busy with their personal matters, tend to overlook or become unaware of how their children are performing and how they are growing up emotionally, somewhat neglecting them the needed attention a parent must give to their children.

Another factor of generation gap within the family is how parents tend to be far too disciplined with how their children should be developed and not taking into account the children's emotions or opinions, thus stripping them of the confidence and inner potential. This creates certain dilemmas in their children's behavior and attitude as to how they respond to the elderly, also how they grow up emotionally. They may end up lying or become aggressive and rebellious in order to gain your attention or in order to get things how they want it to be.

An example of this is when a parent chooses the course or program of a child that will be attending college without asking the child's opinion on the matter, making it hard for them to develop intellectually due to entering a field on which hey have no skill set or idea in. Parents tend to be neglectful when they fail to openly listen to their children and understand them, taking into account their emotions rather than doing what they thought is best for them. As children neglect to their parents to ask for guidance, parents fail to understand and be open to their children.