I interviewed my parents who were in their 40s. My mom mentioned that when she was at my age, she was expected to help out with her family, since she was the only daughter in her family. She was also expected to be getting married and respectful in front of the elders. My dad said that at that age, he was expected to learn his own skill in order to support his own family in the future.
Then, I interview my grandparents who were in their 60s. My grandma said when she was at my age, she was expected to stayed at home and helped their family do all the housework. She didn't need to find a job and she couldn't divorce for any reason after she got married. My grandpa mentioned that he didn't need to do any housework but go to find a job. He was responsible to earn money for their family.
After I interviewed both my parents and grandparents, I found out that our behaviors really did change over generations. Both female and male are expected to go to college and earn a degree nowadays. We are not expected to get married in our 20s, and we can even choose not to get married in our whole life long. We could get divorced whenever we want when we had any problem. In addition, both female and male have gained equal rights and roles. Female could be independent and male is also responsible for taking care of the family.
Hi Denise,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading your post. I also interviewed my parents who are forty years older that me. That is such a coincidence my mom was also the only girl in her family and when she was in my age she was expected to help out her family since she had three older brothers. Her family also wanted her to get married however she told them she wasn't ready and they respected her decision. My dad also said he was expected to learn his own skill so he that can help and prepare him to be independent once he got older and so he could get his own place.
Family friends I interviewed who are twenty years older than me had similar expectations as well in comparison to my parents, however my mom was not expected to pay her own way for everything, however our family friend said she was allowed to get a car, but she would have to pay for it herself. Her parents did not push her to get married unlike my mom's family did, however she did get married younger while my mom got married older.
I also agree with our generation at age twenty, we are not expected to get married in our 20's, divorce is much higher now than it was twenty to forty years ago. Females are considered more equal now than they ever were before.
Great post overall!
-little miss daisy
Hello Denise,
ReplyDeleteI found many similarities and differences between our parents and grandparents expected social norms. My mother was also expected to help out around the house tremendously. The only difference I could find was that my grandma and grandpa stressed college more. I guess those differences may have been due to family differences. Different families have different values and expectations. I see that a lot with my friends today. My siblings and I have been expected to attend a four-year university after college, but in some of my friends back home I don't see that stressed as being important at all. But as you were saying about us no longer being expected to be married in our twenties, thank god! I'm glad for that. Thanks for sharing!