10 Advantages of Talking with your Aging Parents -

Talking with your aging parents can be a wonderful experience for some and a frustrating moment for others. Here is a list of 10 advantages that will show you that it is a win-win situation when you keep in touch with them.

The misunderstanding about certain issues is finally over.

There are particular discussions that should have been started a long time ago but were scheduled for another day until years had gone by. Moreover, it is one of the classic procrastination to-do lists with so many excuses.

When your aging parents and yourself are open-minded to a calm discussion, it clears assumptions that have been held for ages. In addition, it takes time to do this but the result is worth it eventually.

At long last, the burden in your chest has been released. You have been forgiven or you finally forgive them. It brings such a breath of fresh air. As if your steps have such a spring in them.. so light. You have finally found peace.

Conversations become interesting and funny because it mostly revolves when you were a child.

It sometimes makes you feel embarrassed when they show your old photos and how “cute” you were back then. Then, you start laughing about the good old days about:

Their brand of persuasion of making you eat your vegetables

How they tried to look for your lost toy because it was your favorite (tantrum overload)

The sleepless agonizing nights when you got sick

You understand them more now because you are already a parent. It was not an easy life raising you. Most of the things they said way back didn’t make sense ( or too stubborn to admit they are right) until you become a more responsible adult.

laughing family — **Photo by Sharina Mae Agellon**

You have a trustworthy person whom you can confide your issues.

You are so lucky to have a mother and father to talk to when parenting becomes an overwhelming experience. If it involves work, their perspective adds to your reservoir of wisdom.

I had a chat with a man in his 60s. He told me that his 33-year-old son often calls him now. He is a parent asking for tips about balancing work and family.

Conversations with parents can branch out to other family bonding activities.

Parents will always show their love to you in their little ways.

It could be:

cooking your favorite dish while asking about your personal life ( Home-cooked meals are the best.)

listening patiently to your dramas in life as you go on and on and on (That is true love!)

inviting you for morning tea, lunch, dinner ( free food!)

offering you to take care of your children while you go and relax or do an important errand ( bonding time with their grandchildren)

Related blog post: Why is it important to spend time with family?

You are spending your time wisely because you will never know what will happen in the future.

The most often used excuse is I AM BUSY. Everyone is busy doing this or doing that. No time. Everybody is in a rush to finish something or to go somewhere.

In the middle of the chaos, years will go by and you wouldn’t even notice it. Having a conversation with your aging parents gives you a wakeup call that there is limited time.

Furthermore, life is so short. Laughing with them about silly things is a good deposit in your memory. That moment will not come back.

Tony Stark in the movie “Avengers Endgame” said it well. “No amount of money in the world can buy a second of time.” (or something like that)

old clocks — Photo by DAVIDCOHEN on Unsplash

Related blog post: 10 Lessons learned in a funeral

You are setting an example to your children the importance of making time for your loved ones.

Children copy the habits of parents. The way you think, the words you say and the actions you show will be imitated by your children. If your child swears a lot, whom do you think he/she got it from?

This is also the same thing with making time to have a chat with your parents. Whether coming over for dinner or chatting on the phone, children pick this up. Relationships thrive when both parties keep the commitment to reach out and talk.

Whatever you do to your parents, your children will do it to you too in the future.

You keep your parents updated with the latest technology.

I remember the time when I taught my mother how to use the cellphone. She was so against it because her main reason was her arthritis on her fingers. She couldn’t push the buttons well. Moreover, I told her in case of an emergency, she can call me. Now she knows how.

Then, I taught her how to send an email. I gave her back then a notebook so she could write down her notes about how to sign in, type the password, open the messages and log out.

The internet was slow so the email sent took time.

My Mama: It is taking so long! ( She saw the “circle” going round and round and round.)

Me: Mama, patience. During your time it took the snail mail almost a month to reach its destination.

The email was sent after around 7 seconds. She has now an idea about the email, Google, Facebook, Messenger and YouTube. Furthermore, she is presently enjoying the SMARTPHONE – just swipe, tap and enjoy the apps!

At the moment, she is sending her messages with GIFS in them and having video chats with high school classmates around the world. I am just using emoticons!

You have an idea about what an aging parent lifestyle looks like.

Having conversations with them gives you a glimpse of the possibilities of your own retirement future. They may tell you their blissful moments, grief-stricken memories, their regrets and the outcomes of their choices when they were your age.

It makes you ponder the decisions you are having or going to have because, in the long term, we will all grow old and breathe our last.

It is one way of showing your love for them.

The Bible says Honor your father and your mother. This involves respect and taking care of their needs to the best of your ability. Enjoying a few hours of chat demonstrates your appreciation for them. They are loved, needed and cared for.

It improves their well-being.

Loneliness is one of the reasons why most people are sick. They are so isolated. Most aging parents are either widows, widowers, separated or living overseas. Also, having discussions with them makes them cheerful because human contact is a need.

One senior citizen told me that when you reached old age, material things are essential but become secondary. Relationships with family and friendships matter more.