We often hear “sandwich generation” here in Singapore but we do not understand it. It is important that we are familiar with this term so we can understand it and learn how to deal with it. When we hear “sandwich generation”, it means getting caught up between our kids and aging parents.
People age 40 often endure and persevere “sandwich generation”. Being caught up in this generation is challenging. Here are some challenges that we should understand and cope up:
- Supporting children: When we are 40, we are busy supporting our children especially if they are teens. Supporting children is not easy because they tend to be more complex. We need to allot time so we can guide them.
- Providing regular care for the elders: We are so busy that we do not notice our elders getting older. We only notice them when they are sick and in need of our care.
- We are at the height of our career: We need to hang unto our jobs and careers which prove difficult especially if we have teens and an elder around.
When we are in a “sandwich generation”, every day seems to be a tug-of-war. Things may be difficult but we should make sure that it will not exhaust us. It is natural to be tired but we should never think about giving up. Remember that when we do things for the one we love, the effort seem to be nothing.
If we cannot handle things on our own, it is time that we seek for the help of other people. We should not be embarrassed to ask for one when we need one.
