Thursday, November 4, 2010
Independence
This week in sociology we talked about what it means to be an "adult". It's true that we're legally adults when we turn 18, but that doesn't mean we're adults mentally or socially. From the time people are born until they go off to college, I think that they are treated like kids. Most parents do things for their kids that parents in other countries would not even dream of doing. I think that parents in America have huge double-standards. Most kids in America don't experience their first time using a washing machine until they're in college, and most kids don't even know how to cook food for themselves that consists of ingredients other than cereal and milk. Parents willingly do a lot more than they should for their kids but then once they reach "adulthood", parents expect their kids to know how to survive in the real world. I feel like back in the old days kids were able to be a lot more independent than they are now, just because of the different standards they had. I think that I'm a very independent person though. I learned to do my own laundry when I was in 8th grade and I help my mom cook all the time. I'm not necessarily saying that kids should be able to do everything for themselves without the help of parents, but I think that they should at least be prepared for what they're gonna have to deal with when they're out in the real world.
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I agree it seems like everyone now is very dependent on parents compared to what it was like when my parents were younger. They always talk about how when they were younger.... But the thing is not so many things have changed and it's a completely different world out there.
ReplyDeleteI agree. Julia you know that I basically can't do anything on my own. haha that sounds bad but there are many things that I rely on my parents for and my mom almost always does things for me if I ask her to. There are things I do on my own, don't get me wrong, but it will definitely be a big adjustment when i go to college.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree that our society is very focused on babying anyone considered a kid. My parents dote on my any chance they have, but I still know how to clean up after myself. But I think I am an except to the norm. I have been mowing my lawn with my dad ever since I can remember and none of my friends could even start a lawn mower. It's really sad how very few kids in the U.S. know how to be independent these days.
ReplyDeleteI agree - the transition to adulthood sure would be smoother if kids did more gradually as they grew up instead of all at once when they go away to college.
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