17. Pair work. You and your friend are discussing the following question: Whom do you come to for help and support during tough times? Complete the dialogue using the words from the text above.

Y – you; C – your classmate

Y: Can you share your problems with your mom or dad?

C: I think I can. But they are always worrying about me. So I do it very seldom. I’d rather talk my problem through with my close friends. And you?

Y: …

18. Answer the following questions:

What tips are applied in your family to bridge the generation gap? Do your parents cop an attitude? Do your parents listen to all your problems and encourage you? Do your parents show self-acceptance and tolerance of imperfection? What do you do to establish good relationships with your parents?

19. Read the following statements and say which of them characterize the relationships with your parents best of all.

1. The contact with my grandparents is reduced to a check or cash in a birthday or holiday card.

2. One to one relationship with grandma or grandpa became limited to special occasions rather than ordinary events.

3. I am one of the lucky ones in having my grandma share with me a lengthy overseas trip. The outcome of the trip was an intellectual enhancement for both of us.

4. My parents treat me as an adult and I am able to see that wise piece of advice can be gleaned from someone older than myself.

5. My parents gained tolerance for my way of communicating with others without the restraint built in by tradition.

6. I, like the rest of my friends, think that my parents are overprotective and examine carefully every bit of advice they give me before deciding whether to heed it.

7. I am no saint. My room is sloppy and my parents are constantly grumbling that I never wash the dishes I have soiled. Yet I am always neat looking and presentable.

8. I talk to my mom at least once a week, sometimes several times a week, and then my father about once every couple weeks.

9. I keep very few secrets from my mom/ dad. The things I am dealing with at school, things about relationships with family or friends, love interests, kind of the whole array of things.

20. Pair work. Make up dialogues between children and their parents discussing burning issues and filling in the gaps in the dialogue frame with the phrases from the list below. Express surprise, annoyance, disagreement. Give your reasons.

Son/ daughter: Why don’t you…

• respect my ability to make decisions?

• adopt an attitude of curiosity instead of trying to manipulate my thinking?

• request instead of demanding?

• make agreements instead of dictating rules?

• involve me in deciding instead of deciding for me?

• accept my priorities and perspectives?

• admit your own mistakes and talk about what you are learning from them?

• apologize when you have done something wrong or said something mean during an argument?

Father/ mother: So what?

Why should I?

What’s the use of …?

Don’t you think it’s silly?

You must be joking!

You can’t be serious!