*Yawn*

I can't help but wondering whether there's something wrong with my body. I'm feeling lethargic almost everyday. It feels as though I haven't been sleeping for ages. Well, the actual fact is I have my 7-8 hours of sleep everyday. What the hell is going on with my body? *Arrghh* Anyway, my life has been quite monotonous these days. Seriously, there isn't any events worth mentioning. Thank goodness, I have my piano lesson, PSP, DS lite and interesting novels to spice up my life. Piano lessons are getting more hectic as time goes. More pieces to learn and practice, more homework to complete. Of course, I still enjoy playing them as much as before. The biggest problem I encountered in piano playing is my extremely poor sight reading. Personally, I think my sight reading is really bad. I guess I need to put it alot of effort in it to be competent in it.

I was putting some thoughts over on the issue on "communication" recently. Specifically, the issue on the communication between parents and children. It is very common to hear this, "You simply just don't understand me !", from a teenager to his/her parents. I bet most teenagers would find this phrase familiar or might have experienced it themselves. Is it true that parents just simply don't understand us? Firstly, we must understand that good understanding is essentially a result from good communication. Well, at the same time good communication can be an end product of a good understanding as well. There is a co-relation between both factors. I must agree it is not simple for people of the same age to achieve good communication, let alone people who are at least twenty to thirty years apart. I would say this is what a typical generation gap is all about. As a result, mutual understanding between parents and children is greatly compromised. Having said that, it is definitely not impossible for good communication to be established between them. There is this common phrase, "put yourself in the other's shoe". I believe this is applicable to this case. Parents should put themselves in their children shoes. Likewise for the children, they should put themselves in their parents shoes too. Many times, teenages just take it for granted that parents should understand them well and be compromising. However, we must bear in mind that it must be a mutual understanding and compromising for things to work out. Sometimes, children especially those who are introvert, should put in abit of efforts to communicate with their parents. I am sure it is not easy for these children because they hardly even talk to their parents regarding to their problems. Remember the first step is always the hardest. Get past this hurden and things will be simpler. On the other hand, parents should facilitate by spending more time with their children and be more outspoken.

The next problem on the list is teenagers are hostile to their parents eventhough parents try really hard to improve the situation. In this kind of situation, parents should not make conclusion too early. For instance, conclude that their child is hopeless and un-filial. This early generation of conclusion will tarnish the basic trust and respect the children have for their parents. This can lead to worsening of relationship between them. Parents should bear in mind that every words they say have an impact to the children's ego. Then again, it is common for parents to spout insulting and hurtful remarks when they are in argument with their children. That is why we have to be really careful in our words in such situation. If parents cannot control their words, the best way is to remain silence. This is situation is when "silence is golden." The more hurtful remarks parents are to make, the more damages it will result in the relationship with the children.

At the children side, children should do the same thing as what parents should do in quarrels and arguments too. This will prevent souring of relationship with parents. As their children, we should try to understand them as well. Many times, they care alot about us and the care might just be expressed in a wrong way. Talk to them about it! Communicate with them. Remember we are all humans, do not expect them to know what you are thinking without you telling them.
Do not, in any way, spout some hurtful comments which you might regret later on. Be responsible in whatever we say. At the same time, bear in mind that we will ultimately be a parent, ourselves in twenty years down the road. What goes around comes around. I think it is true that "sorry seems to be the hardest word", especially in our asian culture. Thus, it will be best that we don't hurt our parents with our words and try so hard to salvage it afterward.

To sum up everything, as children, put yourselves in your parents shoes and think of their feelings. They work hard to give us their best in this world. Although the best might not be the best in the world, they have already tried their very hard to give their best. Remember no parents in the world (or maybe extremely rare) would want their children to suffer. They would want their children to lead a comfortable life as much as possible.