Think Back

Try this exercise this weekend or over the next few weeks.  Put yourself in the shoes of your child or if you do not have any kids, try remembering what it was like when you were a child or teenager.  I do it all the time as my two sons are 12 and 10 years old and I can remember many of the experiences I had when I was their age.  As a matter of fact, my mom found a story I wrote from high school where I said the favorite time of my life was 6^th grade; the grade my oldest son Trevor is in right now.

Just like I did not think my parents could not relate to me when I was a kid, my own kids feel the same way at times.  There was a generation gap between my parents and me and my siblings just as there is one between my sons and I.   I am part of Generation X, my parents (currently in their 70’s) are part of the Traditionalist Generation and my sons are considered Millennials.  Long story short; based on the decade(s) we were raised in and what shaped our values (world events, economy, technology, community, etc.) during that time, we developed our views and opinions on how we were going to live our life and face adulthood. 

But despite the many differences kids may think they currently have as compared to when their parents were children, there really are not as many as one would think.  Sure technology is a big change but today’s computers and cell phones were yesteryears telephone and televisions.  Although I cannot see my dad involved in 1/10^th of the activities my sons currently do, he and his peers still faced similar social interactions that my boys do in terms of developing friends, dealing with authority and the need for acceptance from anyone and everyone.  My parents grew up in Boston’s North End in the 1930’s and 40’s and I grew up outside of Boston in Medford, Massachusetts in the 70’s and 80’s.  Now my sons are growing up in a small New Hampshire town called Pelham.  Is it any surprise we all think each other can’t relate?

If you have kids, especially teens, don’t get frustrated if they seem to tune you out or not want to listen to you.  Did you when you were their age as if you were anything like me, you thought you knew it all and could take care of yourself in the crazy world you were living?  I wish I took advantage of all the good mentors I had available to me growing up.   There were also plenty of bad ones who cared more about what was in it for them instead of those they were there to teach or help.  I recognized both and so do most of today’s youth.