Generally speaking, at what point do we become smarter than our parents?

[cbdo2007]

I'm 30 years old and married and my wife and I have trouble with both of our parents regarding common sense issues. I'm not saying we know everything, and we are wrong plenty of the time.

The difference between us and our parents though, is that if someone has a different opinion about something we'll listen to their opinion and discuss it for a few minutes and through reasoning and deduction we come up with what we think the right thing to do is.

Our parents on the other hand...well they won't even listen to us because they're the parents. They assume because they've taught us everything they know and because they have lived longer that they automatically know the best answer and we are practically scolded for offering a different opinion or solution to an issue. They rationalize their stupid opinion about something and we listen politely, then if we question any of their rationalization or try to offer a different opinion they'll shoot down whatever we're saying strongly and quickly, even if we can prove our points mathematically. They just don't want to hear it.

I know that at some point we get smarter than our parents because my parents (divorced and each remarried) and my wife's parents all have had to get their parents out of financial difficulty and have had to make decisions for them, not because they're senile but because they throw their money away and don't understand how things work anymore.

[unpossibles]

1. for me it was when my dad said...

"I'm still on AOL. And I sold my google stock because gmail confused me."


:facepalm:

Keep in mind, he used to be a pretty talented programmer back in the day.

[Bunny]

2. I doubt very much that you are smarter than your parents.

And I think it's pretty arrogant to assume that they are dumber than you simply because they don't agree with you.

[cbdo2007]

4. Did you forget to read my post before responding?

There's more to it than just the headline.

[Bunny]

11. Nope, I read your post.

My response still stands.

[Beer Snob-50]

3. well, i was smarter than my parents until i became a parent

and then for some reason i became real dumb.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

5. Your parents have not yet become used to the fact that you are

a grownup person!

Most parents realize this after their kids get past a few milestones: marriage, college degree, stuff like that...

Your parents are so used to BEING the parents that they find it impossible to give this role up.

Good luck with them. Hopefully, with time and exposure to your good ideas, they will get used to the fact that you are grownups too.

I suspect they are terribly threatened by your adulthood.

They should be proud of you!

I know I'm proud of my grownup children...

[cbdo2007]

7. Thanks for the good response.

Maybe they will take us more seriously when we have our own kids because that's the last major milestone I think we have left, and we're working on that one.

Thanks again, this was helpful!

[CaliforniaPeggy]

8. I did hope it was helpful...

And I'm so glad it was!

:hug:

[cwydro]

6. Well, mine are in their 80's now

and they are still smarter than I...there was a short time in my 20's and 30's where I thought I was smarter.

Nah.

[Ohio Joe]

9. At the age of about 12, I realized I knew everything

I continued to grow more confident in that I did in fact know everything until I was about 25 when I began forgetting things. Now, at 45, I know very little and it gets worse all the time.

[Iggo]

10. If you go to decent schools, every step of the way. (n/t)

[Manifestor_of_Light]

12. What is that about financial decisions?

You said "they throw their money away and don't understand how things work anymore"?

My parents and grandparents WHINED constantly about how everything cost too much.

They lived in perpetual sticker shock, and they poormouthed all the time too.

[stray cat]

13. Smarter or actually as wise?

[Chan790]

14. For me?

After I read the entire Encyclopaedia Brittanica in the summer after 3rd grade.

Never tell your super-literate 8 year old that they can pick their own bedtime when they're smarter than you. If you do say that, don't let them sucker you into setting a metric...no matter how happy you are to see them reading, they have nothing better to do and you will regret it when they succeed.

Kids are resilient and clever and persistent, you'll feel bad when you go back on your word.

[BarenakedLady]

15. Not smarter

Maybe more up-to-date and more technically savvy. My dad will always know more than I do about building shit and my mom will always know more than I do about manners.