Observations of children and adults
I have been staying in the United States for approximately 5 months, I found out that American children are expose to the American culture very much. They have an early sex education which they learn by themselves from the mass media (TV, Magazine, Newspapers, and the Internet.) In addition, they are the spectators who watch adults interact. Those adult did not act as good models to guide the children.
Let me abridge what I have seem in American family.
Last few week, my friend invited me to Twin Cities for a weekend stay. I lived at her sister's house. Her sister is 23 years old and she has a 6 years old son. They started to drink alcohol in the house and the kid was watching TV. He was so concentrated to the Cartoon show and I was sitting beside him. From my conversation with him, he told me they always like to drink and he was kind of got used to all of this. He would rather to do his own thing, and not to interrupt us. Sometime, he will turn on the volume because they talked really loud. At the end, he faced the music.
The American elderly
The questions for American elderly are so crucial and meaningful. It is kind of a personal legend or a future plan for everyone. From my survey conducted to American friends and elderly, American elderly wish to live at a retirement community.
In Sacramento California and Hot Spring Arkansas, there are many famous retirement community and Americans plan to go there when they reached their retirement age. (My friend's grandparent is in Sacremento). The reason they choose to go to retirement community is because they want to enjoy their life and make more friends. They do not want to rely on their children or stay with their children when they are old.
In Chinese culture, children must be respectful and thankful to their parents and they have to take good care of their parents when they are old. This is to appreciate them as growing us up since we were young.
Eng Hwa, when you are retired, do you want to live with your children, a nursing home, or a retirement community which you said? haha.. :)
ReplyDeleteogeez, I havent thought about that. But I am willing to answer that question. To be frank, I am a sociable person. I can't leave without friends and family. Yet, I like freedom though. I would like to enjoy my first 10years of retirement life with my beloved wife. I would go travelling and enjoy my life in a peaceful place. No hectic life as in the city. Living apart with my children would not be a problem as I have my pension money and property.
ReplyDeleteIf I fell in sick or my health situation was not allowed me to go further, I would like to stay at nursing home or at retiremet community with nursing facility. They will take good care of me more than my children do. Furthermore, they are busy with their own life and family. I want them to be a successful person and embark their hardwork in their own route.
Really you would like to stay in a nursing home? to be honest, I'm afraid of staying in nursing homes when I'm older. I really hope that my future kids will take care of me when I'm older and when I need some help. You know, I would never, never, never give my parents into a nursing home! ANd therefore, I would not want to stay in one either when I'm older. I think we owe our parents not to put them in a nursing home, because they took care of us when we were children!
ReplyDelete