Important Things Our Parents Didn’t Tell Us (But We’ll Tell Our Kids)

Every generation seems to be faced with new challenges in regards to raising children.  The 21st century is no exception with its fast paced society, fueled by globalization and technology, making it difficult for parents to keep up with their children. 

Although it is impossible to teach your children everything you want them to know, there are two things that most parents fail to mention that may alleviate some crucial misunderstandings later in life.

Grown ups don’t have all the answers
Children idolize their parents and then are usually devastated when they discover they are fallible.  As parents, we can soften the blow a little by instilling from the beginning that we don’t know everything and yes, we too can make mistakes.

Relationships are hard work
Even in the 21st century, we are still find young men and women trying to squeeze their lives into romantic fantasies.  By the time we celebrate our first double-digit birthday, most of us have figured out that the world isn’t filled with rainbows and unicorns.  However, glamorous celebrity culture and idealistic television shows make it difficult for young people to reconcile their real lives with their expectations.  As parents, we ought to make sure that our children understand that all relationships, especially the romantic ones, require constant attention and revision. 

In a society that appears to move at the speed of light, it may seem difficult to effectively inform your children. 

However, if you arm them with these two facts about life, they will no doubt have a clearer sense of the world around them as they enter the confusion of adolescence and later, adulthood.

Alison Taylor
		About the author:
		Alison Taylor studies English literature at the University of Toronto. Dissecting language and absorbing literary theory provides her with intellectual stimulation, but Alison’s passion for overall wellness and contemporary culture compels her to write for the mainstream reader as well as her professors.  When Alison isn’t at her computer, she is hanging out with her very own “mini me”, personally training clients in her home studio, or baking cookies in an attempt to pacify an insatiable sweet tooth.
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