I love it much more when grown-ups adults parents aunties and uncles talk about their jobs and their experiences to one another than when they talk about it directly to me. When they talk amongst themselves, it is done with doses of humour and the humility to laugh at themselves. I become a willing listener, a keen observer, being selective with whichever bits of wisdom I’ll take home, and able to witness the subtle dodging of sensitivities and the ego-flattering (plus counter-flattering) attempts. I learn more and take in more this way, than in face-to-face, oft-one-sided ‘conversations’.
And another observation: sometimes I feel that parents are expecting their kids - older toddlers and younger teens - to behave, speak, and think like adults. Of course, that’s the ideal parental vision… to guide their children along into maturity into civilised, noble, accomplished adults… but why the hurry? Let children be children, while they still are. Let them have their fun. Parents are too quick to forget that their children are children, after all.