Information Related to "What Grandparents Offer"
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"Ughhhhh! Why do we have to go to Grandma and Grandpa's house?" groaned 16-year-old Kayla. "I get so bored when we visit them. There's nothing to do there, and they hardly say a word to me, even though they tell me they're happy to see me. If they do talk with me, it's usually a short conversation because they have no clue what I'm interested in. Really, I don't know what to say to them either."
Have you ever felt this way? If you have, you're not alone. Many teens
find it difficult to connect with their grandparents—and older people
in general.
"Teens can have some stereotypes of older folks—that they're cognitively slower, that they're stuck in the past, and that they're out-of-touch with today's world," says James Ellor, director of the Center for Gerontological Studies at Baylor University. These stereotypes can make teens feel as though they have nothing in common with their grandparents.
Dr. Ellor continues: "You may assume that the older generation couldn't possibly understand the pressures and challenges youth face today and think, 'Why bother to even try to talk to them?' At the same time, your grandparents may be equally unsure of what to say to you, especially if they do fit the stereotype of the senior citizen who shuns technology and isn't up on today's music and entertainment."
Other obstacles can stand in the way of your developing a strong relationship with your grandparents. They may be in poor physical health or suffer from memory problems, making you feel uncomfortable and even less willing to interact with them.
Distance can be another obstacle. Your grandparents may live hundreds or thousands of miles away. With airfare so expensive, you may only get to see your grandparents on occasional trips—and that can make you feel like you hardly know them.
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