Text: “Misunderstanding Between Teenagers and Their Parents”

It is not only the great Russian writer Turgenev who was interested in the question of “fathers and sons”. Every new generation has clashed face to face over this problem. The flash of conflict usually takes place, when the children are teenagers; to be exact, when they’re about 13 – 16 years old.

Worrying about their baby’s health, about what school, friends and clothes to choose, the majority of parents are really keen on looking after their child from infancy onwards. But when their offsprings grow up, they declare that they want to be independent. It is very difficult for parents to understand, that their child has become an adult and wants to make decisions him/herself, wants to be free, even if only partly.

Today, conflicts between children and their parents are a classic case of misunderstandings between different generations.

One of the problems concerns teenager fashion. Nowadays, in most stylish clothes you can’t find anything that looks like normal in your parents’ mind. The clothes you wear do not look stylish to your parents. Meanwhile your parents try to have control over your life and choices. They don’t like things such as red and blue hair, and studs and rings in different parts of your body.

Friends are another vital issue. Parents do not want their child to hang out with a bad crowd. They would like their child to make friends with honest boys and girls, because teenagers with bad habits can spoil their child’s character and future.

The same problem concerns relations with the opposite sex. It happens very often: a young man brings his girlfriend to his house and the parents react in shock with open mouths.

Sometimes, disagreements become so great that teenagers leave home. But almost always they come back, because they are not ready for an independent life.

Ex. 1. Answer the questions.

1. What does the phrase “generation gap” mean?

2. Do you have good relationships with your parents?

3. Did you have conflicts with your parents when you were a teenager?

4. What are common reasons for conflicts between parents and teenagers according to the text?

5. Why do children have conflicts with their parents in their teenage years?

6. Think of other reasons that can cause conflicts between parents and children.

7. How should parents behave with teenagers?

8. Should parents allow their children to do what they want?

9. Should parents control their children?

10. How will you bring up your children?

Discussion

Ex. 1. Read the teenagers’ letters from the British newspaper “The Indy”, the newspaper for the “young and independent”.

Food for thought

I live on a farm, and I have started thinking about animal rights. Now I am vegetarian. My problem is that my parents are furious. My mum doesn’t cook anything different for me, so every night all I eat is vegetables and bread and cheese. I don’t think this is fair. Why can’t she cook me something tasty?

Michelle, 17

To dye, or not to dye?

My parents went away on holiday recently, so I decided to dye my hair. I’m blonde and I dyed my hair black. Now it looks awful and I don’t know what to do. A couple of days ago my parents came home, and when my mum saw my hair, she went completely mad. Now as a punishment, she says I can’t dye it back. What should I do?

Lucy, 16