Continued from page 2  Generations
Scholars usually use the terms “first generation” to capture the experiences of the first refugee or immigrant group that arrives, and “second generation” for their U.S.-born children, and “third generation” for their grandchildren. Since refugee groups consist of multiple generations arriving at one time, however, this labeling is imprecise. The term 1.5 generation, for example, is used to refer to those who were born abroad, arrived as children, were socialized in the United States, and are bicultural and bilingual. It is crucial to understand the distinct experiences of adults who directly suffered the atrocities of the war and escape, versus those who came here as young children or who were born in the U.S. and only know about these experiences on a second-hand basis. The physical and psychological traumas that the adults experienced shape both their ability to be parents and the parenting decisions that they make.
Generation Gaps
Given the varying experiences of these groups, one of the crucial
issues facing Southeast Asian Americans is the intergenerational gap
between the older and younger generations. This is especially
noticeable when children reach adolescence and try to negotiate the
traditional expectations of their immigrant or refugee parents in
contrast to the expectations of their Americanized peers and the larger
society. Parents often teach children to be deferential and obedient to
their elders, reminding them of the sacrifices they made for them.
Elders sometimes expect the younger generation to adhere strictly to
cultural traditions and behaviors, especially young females, since
these traits will make them “marriageable.”
Parents are also concerned with their children’s rapid acculturation and loss of ethnic culture, which can create cultural distance between generations. Children complain about their parents being too rigid and living in the past, as well as of being unable to communicate with them because of linguistic and cultural barriers. With some parents working multiple jobs to support the family, they have little time to supervise or bond with their children, which also places a strain on family relations. Some parents recognize that their children are being socialized in a different cultural environment and have tried to be more accommodating. Parents have had to adjust to different values in parenting styles; for example, while physical punishment may be acceptable in their homeland, it is generally frowned upon in this country.
|
