In today’s fast-paced world, there has been a noticeable shift in the way grown-ups manage their time, favouring the company of friends over that of their families. The essay will firstly show that this situation is connected with a tremendous interest gap between relatives belonging to different age groups, and then it will address the topic of whether elderly parents can persuade their offspring to pay more attention to the latter’s spouses, as well as to sons and daughters of their own.
Teenagers cannot find much in common with relatives, so they prioritize them over their friends. This is because modern young adults were brought up with smartphones, being the generation of social media and the Internet, where they have their own world with its ‘culture’ and informational space, memes, discussions and debates. For example, in a Eurobarometer survey conducted among people of 18-30 years of age, the majority mentioned that youngsters are not able to discuss modern trends or occasions on the Internet because older members are not in the context of these. It is my view that youngsters should not be forced to communicate with their families and that the connection between generations should be strengthened gently.
Namely, older family members can try to read or watch more of the content which is in the interest sphere of young people, trying to be involved in the world of modern life. For instance, watching the same YouTube bloggers will help to create a deeper conversation based on the same information for all members. Also, due to these initiative actions young adults will feel safer and more confident while staying around the family.
In conclusion, the lack of common ground and misunderstanding among family members encourages young people to prioritize time spent with friends over their relatives, watching the same content can help to decrease this interest gap and strengthen families.