<Author>Michael</Author>
<Topic>For a Better Understanding Between Parent and Child</Topic>
<Source></Source>
<Nationality>USA</Nationality>
There is often a lack of communication between parents and children in many countries. Parents and children may have different likes and dislikes, which cause serious misunderstandings. There are often generational gaps, where the grandparents or parents want 8iings to be just like they were when they were younger, and where the children always want change, new products, and new customs. It is sometimes a question of stability vs. rapid change. Over time, culture develops in new ways, older traditions and customs have begun to disappear, and younger people want to make their own decisions about issues which do not always conform to the wishes of the parents.
Parents should be well grounded in their own values and should help their children achieve a balance between important societal or parental values which are enduring and new technological developments in society, as well as changing morals and customs. Parents need to have flexibility in assisting their children to grow into mature and responsible adults, while allowing a reasonable amount of experimentation and individual development of customs and moral perspectives. As the father of three adult children, and now grandfather of six granddaughters and two grandsons, I can see areas where both my children and I feel that I did a very good job as their parent, as well as topics on which I should have been more strict on one hand or conversely more tolerant on the other hand. Generally speaking, we agree that I was mostly a good parent as they were growing up on most issues.
Now, I can see them raising small children, and can see their parenting skills, some of which I may have modeled myself, or newer techniques which they are developing to meet newer times and customs. I am proud of their parenting efforts.
Children need to understand that there are certain areas where their parents really do have wisdom that needs to be given their serious attention. Society both develops important patterns for parents to follow in their raising of children and allows succeeding generations to develop their own new traditions and customs. We have a saying in the US, "The child is the father of the man (or the mother of the woman). What this means is that the type of life which the child learns and develops, usually under the direction of his or her parents, will have a major influence on his or her life as an adult. A child who learns confidence, respect, tolerance, compassion, and truthfulness is more likely to have the same qualities as an adult. In contrast, the child who is always criticized, who doesn't receive or give appropriate respect, who doesn't have tolerance for differences within and between cultures, who is without compassion for those who are less fortunate, or who is dishonest, is also likely to exhibit the same characteristics as an adult.
There is another American saying, "As the tree is bent, so it will grow. Children should grow straight and should have even better lives than those faced by their parents and grandparents.