The Generation Gap

Hi Class,

Let me share my experience of the generation gap with you.

When I was a teenager, my parents were very strict. They had high expectations from me, and I was expected to follow all their rules and regulations without question. Everything had to be done according to a fixed time schedule. This meant getting up early each morning, taking a shower and getting dressed and being ready for breakfast by 6.30...even on holidays! It was difficult, always following someone else's rules and never being allowed to make my own. We often argued about little things but my family was very close and things never got out of hand.

Things have changed since then. I grew up, began to work and take my own decisions and, gradually, my family's influence over me began to get less. As I began to take on more responsibility my parents trusted me more, and the gap narrowed. But I think the gap will always be there. Parents always find it difficult to accept the fact that their children have grown up. Today, I am older and I live and work in a different country, but I cannot say that my mother understands me completely, or that she agrees with every decision I make. When I go home for holidays, she still treats me like a little kid and is always worried about what time I get up and whether I am eating enough :) With the passage of time, I have learnt to laugh about these things, and I think I understand her better. As you grow older and control your own life, these things become less important.

It's all a part of growing up!

Thay G