We suffer the malaise of stereotype presumption in this matter.
Thinking that we are siding or supporting with the youngsters most of us (especially the 'thinkers' influencers, pedagogues, self styled modernists and political leadership (for their interests) blame parents for the current problems between generations. The reality is something different.
Both the parents and children are victims of influences and interferences of rapidly changing scenario of lifestyles and life needs due to availability and affordability and the instilling of high expectations and demands on anything.
There are disruptive happenings in basic ideas, ideologies and awareness and sources of input. Parents and teachers are no more the sole source of information and behaviour formulation. Just when a child i three years or even earlier, he/she is familiar with the handheld devices and able to get a lot of information and knowledge. Hence very soon there comes a gap or mismatch between the parents imparting lessons and the child getting or already got information and knowledge.
The express gap or difference comes mainly from the technology use and adaptation. The children will have a fling that their parents are not smart enough and are 'oldies or dummies''.
As everything for which the parents had to venture and make efforts are now available at finger strokes or gestures . Hence the children do not need much venturing out for essentials or entertainment. The hand held devices especially with use of head phones gives them a sure privacy for anything . Hence parents do not know what are the activities , friendships and contacts of their children. Any queries in this regard will be mistook as invasion of privacy and responded in negative way.
The gap between parents and children thus increases slowly to a non- comprisable level.
I will blame the parents only in the matter of pampering and making the children adamant and selfish. In the next stage they become victims of emotional blackmail or pushing and stay helpless because ' blood is thicker than water'., leaving them to lament with similar parents.
Parents (most young parents of today will soon become oldies too)should ensure that they do not make their children slaves of gadgets, They should ensure family togetherness more and more avoiding need for gadget entertainments. They should socialize n real world, face to face taking their children also with them . They should also impart basic culture and tradition by themselves participating in such events and visiting worship places and religious gatherings. Parents should cultivate reading habits in their children early. They should themselves be examples by practicing what they preach .
Parents may have to sacrifice by forgive and forget a lot(which they do actually) because after all they are our children and not enemies.
