Generational Differences at Home

            Do you remember the last time you had an argument with your parents or even grandparents. Do you remember thinking to yourself, “they just don’t understand ME and society today.” This was constantly something I dealt with as a teenager while growing up with my parents. As a college student now, I feel more aware and have more acceptance of our different ideals and values. This blog post focuses on an aspect that most of us experience on a daily basis, generational differences at home especially one with cultural differences. The blog posts from my previous month has being emphasized greatly on how to deal with generational differences at the workplace. Today, I’ll outline the role of generational differences at home.

            Just to begin and give some personal reference and background information, I was born in China and came to America when I was about 8 years old. Because I spent most of my later childhood and adolescent years in America, I have a very Americanized personality as compared to my traditional Chinese parents. During high school, we constantly fought about different priorities and values. Turns out, this was actually very common in cultural groups with different generations. Stoller states at one point that “Norms based in one culture can be difficult to implement in another culture. Differences between the dominant culture and elements of the ethnic cultures can produce conflicts in generations.” (Stoller, 216)

            The previous blog posts deal with a similar topic about familial structures and generational differences pertaining especially for Asian Americans. I focused mainly on the conflicts that arise. For example, just to recap, many of the conflicts arise from different attitudes towards family obligations. Older generations have more traditional values from their origin of country. The younger generations are more influenced by American society, and thus have sometimes the opposite. (Fuligni et al, 1999) Today, I’ll emphasize more on the positive consequences. Stoller actually writes about how cultural differences within families can actually strengthen intergenerational relationships at home. This happens when the younger generations asks for guidance and better understanding of traditional cultural ethnics and beliefs. For example, many of the elderly generations enjoy teaching the children and teenagers the music, language, crafts and local history. This not only pass down traditional beliefs and values, it also helps improve elders’ emotions and confidence. They feel more involved in the family and closer with their grandchildren this way. They also feel like they still have an important role in the family. (Cool, 1980)

            After this blog post, I have more appreciation for the multicultural and multigenerational characteristics of my own family. Instead of focusing on negative conflicts that arise, this blog entry and the related readings really assisted me in understanding the bigger picture. Instead of having the attitude that diversity is bad and undesirable, I now realize that diversity is actually positive; it creates many of the rich mixed cultures we see today!

1. Stoller, E. P., & Gibson, R. C. (2000). World of difference inequality in the aging experience. (3 ed.,). Thousand Oaks: Pine Forge Press.

2. Fuligni, A. J., Tseng, V. and Lam, M. (1999), Attitudes toward Family Obligations among American Adolescents with Asian, Latin American, and European Backgrounds. Child Development, 70: 1030–1044. doi: 10.1111/1467-8624.00075

3. Cool, L.E. (1980). Ethnicity and aging: Continuity through change for elderly Corsicans. In C. Fry (Ed.), Aging in culture and society. New York: Praeger

          

Generational Differences-Asian Americans

            Through the course of this class thus far, I have acquired a better understanding and appreciation for the differences that make up the vastness of diversity present in society and in the world. Many of the readings have helped me realize the existence of the many problems currently present in society today. One such reading from Olson’s Chapter 2 on “The Chinese Elderly: Values and Issues in Receiving Adequate Care” by Morrison G. Wong. Here, Wong outlines that the Chinese culture has strong familial values with origins from Confucianism. This means that hierarchy is very prevalent in the Chinese household. Thus positive consequence of strong familial relationship is the dedication and tradition of taking care of elders in the household. The elders are often the most respected and have the most decision power in a family household. (Olson, 2001).

            What really prompted me to write this blog entry on Asian Americans is the changing scenario of the Asian American community due to renewed generational differences. Wong states that the new generation “the American-born Chinese have become more acculturated to the beliefs, traditions, and customs of U.S. society.” (Olson, 2001, p. 26). This new generation of American born Chinese has both cultural and generational differences that greatly conflict with the traditional, familial Chinese structured society. Instead, the new generation is more individualistic, ambitious, and independent as opposed to traditional collectivist, familial, and interdependent character tics.  Many of the older generations are not happy with this recent change. For example, Wong states, “it is becoming more common to hear foreign-born Chinese parents to express disappointment and complain that “my son is just like an American.””(Olson, 2001, p. 26).

            These American and Chinese cultural differences widen the gap between the different generations within an Asian American community. They have conflicts in society. One of the most emphasized pertains to elders. Traditionally, elders in the Chinese society are always treated with the most respect. Because familial piety plays such a major role in the culture, families often take care of the elderly. It’s not uncommon to see a multigenerational household. The conflict arises from the new generations and their new sets of American characteristics and differences. It is becoming more common for the Chinese elders to be left at nursing homes, which lead to many negative consequences of language barriers, cultural differences, and different medicinal preferences. Many Asian elders feel neglected and unhappy when they are put into these homes. (Filgini et al, 1999) For the new generation, it seems normal, but to the older generations, it’s taken more personally, where they feel they are personally being disposed.

            Despite these differences and negative consequences I have outlined, my research has also indicated that there are still many positive outcomes. Even though the new generations are adapting to new American values, they are still keeping to many traditional, core values. For instance, family is still a top priority. Family gatherings and socials are still a strong part of their lives. Many decisions the new generation makes are always contingent on the best outcome for the overall family. (“Asian-American families")

1. Wong, M. G. 2001).The Chinese Elderly: Values and Issues in Receiving Adequate Care. In Olson, L. K. (Ed.),Age through ethnic lenses: Caring for the elderly in a multicultural society. Lanham, MD: owman & Littlefield Publishers

2. Fuligni, A. J., Tseng, V. and Lam, M. (1999), Attitudes toward Family Obligations among American Adolescents with Asian, Latin American, and European Backgrounds. Child Development, 70: 1030–1044. doi: 10.1111/1467-8624.00075

3. Asian-american families - regional and generational differences. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://family.jrank.org/pages/105/Asian-American-Families-Regional-Generational-Differences.html