If you have been in a relationship as a teenager or even as a young adult, you have probably had an older couple belittle your relationship. This can vary from saying something like, “just wait a few years, you won’t be able to stand each other” or even “I give them a few months before they call it.” This type of demeaning behavior towards younger couples is not only unnecessary but damaging towards the confidence of blooming relationships. These negative comments eventually get in the minds of these couples and sometimes cause fear-based arguments.

Why do these older couples feel the need to weigh in where their opinion is not needed? One of the reasons could be pure intentions, maybe they want younger couples to learn from their mistakes. People with more life experiences often feel the need to help those with less experience to save them from some of the pain they endured in the past. In most cases, however, this is not the case. Older couples or just people who have had long-term relationships seem to find joy in warning younger couples about their future. Something important to note is that relationship dynamics are very different from what they used to be. This is due to increased communication skills, social media, and simply a change in times; so a lot of the advice given is outdated and sometimes just irrelevant. New couples may even lose trust or hope with each other if they believe everything older couples tell them.

With social media opening the eyes of young people everywhere, more couples are realizing their strengths and weaknesses, and doing something about it; this skill is something that older couples were not capable of in their time. Newer generations are learning how to love each other and learning about and healing themselves while being in relationships, this is a beautiful thing that needs to continue to happen. Relationships strengthen when couples focus on their own happiness and stop worrying about what everyone else thinks.