Essay

Generation gap is unavoidable in not only extended families with many generations but also nuclear families between parents and children. A number of conflicts in a family are brought about by generation gap. In my opinion, to limit bad effects of generation gap, each family should use three following methods.

First of all, it is important that family members discuss openly about their childhood or funny and sad incidents in family gatherings. This activity does not only create a close relationship but also helps build up understanding among all members. For instance, once children are aware that their grandparents and even their parents did not have a good upbringing during their hard childhood, they will stop complaining on the previous generations’ obsoleteness. In the meantime, once old people realize young people are nurtured in a new modern way, it is easy for them to be tolerant of young people’s new habits or hobbies.

Secondly, people of each generation should not develop a very high feeling about themselves. In order to do that, they should not think that they are the only right people in their family because each person has his or her own limitation. When all members do not insist on their own opinions but listen to others, they can easily negotiate in case they have conflicting views. Also, together with keeping an open mind, each member should learn to respect one another’s good personalities. For example, teenagers realize that their parents have to struggle with pain to support them financially, and they stop rebel against their strictness. Parents realize that their children’s new style do no harm to their study and stop imposing their own unsuitable standard on their children.

In general, generation gap and its bad effects can be limited if all members cooperate to build up a close-knit family in which they are open and tolerant of each other. I strongly believe that each family, by doing that, can enjoy a cozy atmosphere with the minimum interference of generation gap.

Related vocabulary items

- in a family way: be pregnant (Our dog is in a family way)

- the oldies: old people

- golden oldies: old people who are energetic and successful

- the world is our oyster: there is a wide range of opportunities (Golden oldies often say "The world is our oyster")

- a family man: a man who spends most of his time with his wife and children

- wild somebody up = get in someone's hair: make someone annoyed (My mother's over-caution really wilds me up. She just always gets on my hair)

- run in a family: become a long-standing tradition (Teaching runs in my family)

- over the hill: getting old and pass the age at which you are the most productive (Come on, grandpa, you can't dance. You are over the hill)

- act one's age: behave in a way that is traditionally suitable for someone of that age (Please act your age, grandpa. You cannot dance for toffee)

- do something for toffee: do something unskillfully (I cannot knit for toffee)

- hand down: inherit (My father's stubbornness is handed down to me, or I inherit my father's stubbornness, or I take my father's stubbornness)

- maternal: belonging to mother (maternal grandmother)

- paternal: belonging to father (paternal grandmother)

- parental: belonging to parents (parental support)

- upbringing: educating a child

- sibling rivalry: competing between brothers and sisters (Sibling rivalry can be avoided once parents give their children a good, stable upbringing)