“The key to any lasting relationship is mutual respect, guidance and communication.”

HH Sudhanshu JI Maharaj

Bridge the Generation Gap for Harmony in Family

In families, it’s quite difficult to get members of different age groups to live in harmony, and that’s especially true of the elderly and children. Indeed, what could a 17-year-old possibly have in common with a 70-year-old?  Also, for over a year now, family members of all age groups are staying at home together for 24 hours; certainly a challenging situation. Earlier people in the family would go out for jobs, teenagers would go for studies and children at playgrounds. But now things have changed. 

All are staying together at home. Naturally, a generation gap will pose a challenge to day-to-day living. Mostly, the elderly seek the attention of young children. They want to sit and talk to them. Younger children, on the other hand, like to spend time with the same age groups. The reason they cite is a generation gap. 

This gap must be bridged to bring harmony to the family. Also, for a fulfilling life, children need wise ‘Sanskars’ and only the elderly can inculcate this virtue into them. 

But how to bridge this generation gap so that all family members can freely discuss various problems with each other and receive mutual benefits.

Bridging the Gap!

The Generation gap can be bridged if all members in the family are ‘forgiving’ and all have a decent acceptance level. At times, elders feel everything should be in their control because they are experienced and have seen the world. And children have this point of view that they are up-to-date so they can take various decisions even more wisely. And at this point, clashes may appear.

Sometimes, in the process of making children understand crucial facts of life, elders feel children just don’t listen to them. This is largely due to misunderstanding. No one likes to be controlled and often elders appear to be in a controlling mode. Elders can bridge the gap by behaving like friends with the younger generation. The elderly can take this attitude of ‘influence’ instead of controlling. If it can be done, there’ll be harmony between the elderly and the younger generation.

So, the elderly should have the skill of influencing and letting children learn with examples. Children ought to make mistakes. Forgive them sometimes and move on. It will make the relationship cordial and the gap will be bridged.

Stay Happy & Self-Sustained 

Life is a mixture of sorrow and happiness still the elderly should try to keep the atmosphere at home happy. Just be strong-minded, eat well and sleep well and try not to lose your smile. Do meditation and Yoga, stay happy and build an atmosphere of happiness in the family. And first and foremost thing, you need to keep yourself contented by staying self-sustained. 

Try not to get dependent on your children in the later part of life and for that prepare when you are still young. Save enough resources for yourself, and tell your children to be self-dependent as well. Keep your spirit high, keep yourself happy and always pray to God to keep you hale and hearty in all situations.

Communicate Well

Moreover, in bridging generation gaps, communication plays a big role. When you communicate positively, you share what you believe and discover what others feel is correct. While you may not be in agreement, you may begin to understand more about the person and why they do what they do. This mutual understanding helps in bridging the communication gap. And finally, always remember, your relationship is a wonderful gift by nature and God. Both the elderly and the younger generation can guide each other when the need arises. Nothing can replace the ‘right guidance’ so far as leading a happy and contented life is concerned. So, always make efforts to bridge the generation gap and enjoy satisfying family life.