Aasmani Rishtay

One of the burning issues of the present day world is the gap going wider between parents and the young generation and the wall is getting higher and higher with every passing day. Parents are complaining that they have lagged behind in the race of the hour and the young lot is desirous of going unchecked. Both have their own arguments and reasons. Elders are holding the reins of values and traditions while youngsters are flying with the new winds. New technologies and advancements have given to the humanity a lot in form of blessings and has taken heavy price, on the other hand, from the pocket of conventions.

Salman, just 15, is the only son of his parents and he is a successful flirt. He is proud of his latest flirt with a girl who is doing masters in a university. Being asked, he says,

''I want catharsis, want to share my thinking, my feelings, my likes, dislikes. I cannot share all that with parents who are more preachers than parents. They have only one target in their life, to rebuke me, to check me on each and every thing''.....''I cannot watch movies, sit on my computer till late at night, can't go for hang outs'', he does not stop. ''My mother is always after me to see what I am doing, where I am going. And my father.....he will never allow me to do what I wish. He is just an adviser. I can't live in this prison'', he goes on.

Salman has left home twice but luckily was found once in Karachi and second time in a bus to Islamabad from Lahore. And the reason he gives to flee is not only alarming but horrible too. Generation gap! Latest technologies are stealing the offspring from parents. They know or perhaps do not know that Social Media is parenting the new lot. It is fostering them and they are trusting it more than they trust in their parents or families. School going lot is having mobiles the uses of which are more than normal conversation. Call and message packages have broken into our walls and in the storm of mobiles, parents are rivals. And the bitter reality of today is parents have to run with the new age; youngsters will not stop or slow down for their sake.