Years of experiencing the many ups and downs of like make parents a better judge of human character and nature. They can, therefore, judge people more accurately and are not waived by superficial factors. On the other hand, teenagers are swayed by superficial, irrelevant factors which may just be a façade and far away from reality.
The information explosion in the print and electronic media may give information to teenagers. This, however, cannot make them more worldly wise than their parents. For their knowledge obtained from such sources are primarily confined to what they have seen, heard or read. The parents, on the other hand, can better use this knowledge, blending it with their personal experiences in life. It is because of this we find teenagers looking up to their parents for advice, in important decisions relating to their work or career.
Moreover, teenagers being young are more enthusiastic and optimistic in nature. This is for they have seen the brighter side of life only, being protected from its harsh realities by their parents. They are therefore prone to taking decisions in haste. Parents, on the other hand, being seasoned and cautiously make more rational decisions for they take a balanced view of things. They know the virtue of patience and tolerance and are therefore in a better position to evaluate opinions more logically and practically before arriving at a confirm decision. Their advice is thus more practical and useful.
Besides being optimistic and rash, teenagers have the tendency to follow the dictates of the heart rather than their mind. They are easily moved by superficial considerations like colour, looks or aesthetic appeal. On the other hand, parents take the decision on merit with sound time-tested logic using their mind. They are therefore less prone to error. It is because of this we find successful teenagers like models, actors etc. seeking the advice of parents in matters concerning their career or future. On the other hand, we have numerous instances of teenagers ruining their lives in the misconception of being more worldly wise than their parents.
Thus teenagers even today are not more worldly wise than their parents. They lack experience and wisdom which comes with age. These attributes are possessed by the parents in ample measure. Teenagers must therefore make proper use of this invaluable resource to enrich their lives.
