Bridging the generation gap with your parents is not always easy, especially when introducing such sensitive issues as healthcare, finances, and transportation. But as parents age, there comes a time when finding common ground and achieving a level of mutual understanding and trust on these sensitive topics is important to the well-being of your entire family.
Here are a few pointers that can help you open a more productive dialog with your parents at a key moment in both your lives:
• Find a quiet place to talk. Pick a place where you can easily talk without distractions or fear of interruption.
• Don’t try to do everything at once. There’s a lot of ground to cover—much of it new—and you’re inevitably going to reach a point where you and your parents will need to stop and explore options before going on.
• Ask general questions. Your goal is to start a conversation, not a cross-examination. Make sure your parents have the opportunity to bring up topics of concern to them.
• Stay on task. Stick to the topics at hand. Avoid the temptation to rehash old family history.
• Invite a third-party to participate. Have someone your parents trust take part in the conversation and serve as an impartial mediator. Their presence can have a tempering effect on the conversation and help avoid misunderstandings.
It takes courage to launch these conversations, but, in the long run, it can be worth the effort. Tackling these issues together, with good will and ingenuity, increases your chances of finding solutions that work for the entire family. And in the process, you’ll find yourself forging a new and more rewarding relationship with your folks.
