As we draw closer to another election season in Ohio, it’s time for my annual column about “intergenerational politics.” A friend once told me that her daughter won’t go around Grandpa anymore because his political views are so different than hers. The young lady often vents to mom “I can’t get him to change!!” I reminded her that Grandpa has had 80+ years to form his views. He’s not changing anything now.
Here are some tips on how have an “intergenerational political discussion:”
- Focus on common ground. This should be easy. Many Americans agree that we live in a pretty great place. Talk about what you love about the good old USA.
- Seek to understand, then be understood. Myself and many of my cousins disagreed with our Grandpa on many of his views, but we knew he had lived a full and rich life and had reasons for his views. We always asked why he stood for or against certain things. We never tried to change him, only understand why. It changed how we had these discussions.
- Never accuse or blame. Whether we admit it or not, we generally have a deep love for our family members and if we feel attacked during a discussion, it can cause a deep riff that can be difficult to fix. It can be hard to fix hurt feelings!
Always remember, we can still talk about other important things. Like the weather. The Cleveland Browns. Or even how each other are doing. At Danbury Senior Living, our activities are always focused the positive and drawing each other closer together. Call today to learn more!
