My Parents Don't Understand Me (Round 2)

I wrote about this early this year... no matter how parents try to make clear, things to their children, most of them still feel their parents don't understand them. The need for empathy in teenagers is great.... and parents as much as they try to be often find it a challenge. The challenge? To empathize while trying to make sure we play the role of parents as well.

My parents don't understand me... my son still thinks that. I think for as long as I have to tell him what to or not to do, this will be a standing mantra....

BUT things are getting better. 8) The 'my-parents' don't understand me' is less adamant now. I suspect it has to do with the tempest slowly losing its velocity and rage. It's like more patches of blue sky are making their appearance now. 8) And perhaps he's beginning to understand more his responsibilities to himself and the family. It's easier to get him to play his part too. But often it's still not without some pain.

I've learned the meaning of God's grace for me too through this 'tempest'. 8) A fallen creature I am yet through His grace (not by my own merit) that I'm given the privilege to be His child. If not for the extended grace on our part to our boy, ties could have been severed. God the Father, we his children... grace extended. Same principles. We the parents, our kids .... also grace extended. Cos even though they give us crap, at the end of the day, when they call out to us, we still extend that 'grace' to them too.... I always believe that God is a God of order.... there are every day lessons in our lives which point us towards Him.

This part of the journey has taught me quite a bit about God's relationship with me. So, my parents don't understand me.... very often we hurl the same accusations to God too. But coming back to having a teenager coming to the tail end of his teenage years.... yeah! They need to go through that part of growing. The questioning and the realization of what life is to be will help them realize the meaning of grace too.

As for the teenagers??? Actually their parents do understand them. It's the other way round actually - they don't understand their parents. That is why these long suffering parents continue to chase them to do their revision, pick up their clothes, clear their rooms, cut the grass, do the household chores.... cos for a majority of those who grow up in comfort, they will not do many of those things on their own. And yet for others, they indulge in activities that are ruinous to their future.

Anyway, I think conflicts will end the day when these teenagers can switch off the lights when they leave the room, turn the radio off before they go to sleep, help to clear the house; all without being asked, be nice to their siblings, do their own revision without being reminded and complete the household chores without complaining... When those things start to happen, that's when they finally understand their parents. Till then... "they don't understand me" will continue... And until the self-centredness diminishes.... it'll continue to bug both sides... so who says God is not long suffering with us too?