Gen Gap

These are all published articles.

Bhupinder Kohli

Parents today are more youthful in appearance and attitudes. “It's okay, dear!" is in fact heard far more frequently in today’s nuclear families rather than yesterdays operative words like ‘duty’ and ‘responsibility.’
Gen-X dads’ don’t mind Gen-Y experimenting cool trends; from blue jeans, blow-dry's, clothes to hairstyles. Everything is casual like the mindsets, helping to bridge the sartorial child-parent divide.
“Because of my own rebellion in teens, and the way I grew out of it, I can better accept my son's desire for independence, his craziness, and sometimes even his rebellion," says Rajiv Sharma, 39, a businessman. "I would dread to face my father when scored less, but when this year my son didn't perform well in exam, I rather boosted his moral," says Sharma.
On the very mention of a much debatable topic - generation gap, Sahiba Kumar, 21 and her mother, Param, initiate a discussion on love marriages. Param says, "We dare not watch a movie TV with dad, forget talking about ‘love-marriage,’ that are quite acceptable now.”
Dimple rejoins, "Probably that's why your generation lovers chose to be Devdas." Well! This narrowing of generation-gap has resulted in rewarding closeness among family members.
"No wonder greeting cards today carry the message--To my mother, my best friend," Dimple chortles. None can deny that candidness nurtures a stronger bond of love.
Certainly, there has been reduction in the friction between young and old that is far more than the wildness of youth. Raman, 16, a college student opines, “Well, the gen-gap has not vanished but it is shrinking. Now-a-days parents are pretty understanding. Kids are also frank, rather afraid of parents. Believe me, whenever I sense something is wrong in life, be it studies or friendship, I share it with my dad. He would always say -- come, let us figure it out."
Still when enquired if Raman will try to be more liberal with his broods, he makes as big nod. Thus, even after shopping to sports turning into an easy camaraderie between parent-child, the inexorable 'generation gap' enjoys its existence, continuing down from cavemen.
Somehow, a few grannies and grandpa’s quote this liberal attitude as negligence and lack of time to fulfill the responsibility also. An old grandma of 61-year of age, Kanta Devi quotes, "Working couples are less eager to spend time disciplining the kids. Besides, time-short parents also encourage children's independence, making them more responsible at least for their follies. Being guilt of pre-occupied, they compensate with money and liberties," adds Kanta.
Experts opine that probably the democratic approach is very healthy but it shouldn’t swing a bit too far, promoting lack of rules and discipline. Problems also arise when it promotes overindulgence, in an effort to avoid a strained relationship few parents forget to teach moderation and the limits of life to kids.