There is a lot of controversy about the generation gap between parents and children. Do you agree that the older party must try to adapt with the young ones or vice versa?

A Chinese proverb said, “If you want happiness for a lifetime, help the next generation”. Yet to help the next generation is by narrowing the generation gap. According to the Oxford Dictionary, generation gap is a difference in attitudes between people of different generation. A generation gap occurs when older and younger people do not understand each other because of their difference in opinion, experience and nature.  In order to reduce generation gap, one party either the elder or the youth must be held accountable. In this situation, the elders seem to be the one who should adapt with the young one because they have more experience in life, have the power in ruling their children’s life as well as they can pass on priceless lessons and the children can learn from the past mistakes.

As the elders have more experience in life, they ought to be more understanding. They have been young and understand how the young feels whereas the young have never been old. Parents must have the idea on how to approach children in the way of entertainment, fashion, behaviour and so on. This does not mean that parents have to do or be interested in something that is exactly the same with their children. It is enough to be more understanding in the way they follow the flow of latest trend, not just giving the black and white order to arrange and manage their life. If the children consider their parents as a good listener and advisor, they will surely tolerate with their parents’ thoughts and views.

Apart from that, in any condition elders are often given power to rule or manage their children. This is because elders are more knowledgeable  and can be rational in making decision. They will know how to manipulate the youth to accept their opinions. This privilege is something that will play important role to help elders to reduce generation gap. For example, parents of course have the right to order their children as they wish, but still they must have the strategy to ensure that the children follow their way of life without putting pressure on them. At the same time, trying to consider the children’s desire. Thus the children will not take it as a life domination but as parents’ love and that will prevent them from making their parents as their enemy.

The longer the person lives, the more mistakes they will commit and the more lessons they will learn. For those who are older, they have the priceless lessons to pass on to the youth, to let the youth learn from their earlier oversight so that they will not repeat the same mistakes. It is why elders should try to adapt with the young one. Taking parents again as an example, they can guide their children in order to prevent them from being totally influenced by bad culture such as in music, clothing and food because it will give bad effect to individual and also the future generation.

As the conclusion, the generation gap is not a novel problem as it also happened among the past generation. It occurs when the older and the young individual contradict each other in their attitude. The fact is this problem can’t be controlled if both of them can’t tolerate to each other. Thus, it is a best decision for the elders to be creative in adapting themselves with the young people otherwise the gap will become worst and there will be lack of respectful towards each other. Do you think that you can live in a community with the children who are dare to summon their own parents just because the parents have thrown their Michael Jackson’s CDs?