The family unit contains the most closely intertwined people in a society. Most families in America only see each other for a few hours each day, especially on weekdays. One or both of the parents has to work, and the child attends school five days of the week, with possible leisure or extra-curricular activities on the weekends. With most work/school days ending at five and most kids going to bed at ten, a five hour window is given for parents to spend with their children if desired.

Not only are parents away from their children the majority of their lives, but new people are introduced to the family to replace the absence of the child’s parents. Babysitters come in handy when parents aren’t available to do the job, and some wealthy families hire nannies which almost replace the “role” of the mother for the child. A good friend of mine in high school sees her parents for about two hours every day. On top of that, her siblings are grown and moved out. She comes home every day to an empty house. Without knowing her, I would have thought any child in that situation would be clinically depressed with other problems. However, this is not the case with her, and she actually enjoys coming home and having time to herself. Of course there are things I don’t know about her, but for the most part we were very open with each other, and through sharing thoughts and feelings I found that we were surprisingly alike. It’s hard to believe, because my family life is so different from hers. My mom does everything in her power to make our family as close knit as possible, and we spend as much time together as possible. In the sense that children in our society must become independent, it might be good that children are raised having little time with their parents, so they are prepared to support themselves and live on their own at a relatively young age.

Most families elsewhere in the world stay together for the remainder of their lives, unless separated by marriage. In America, most children are separated from their families at age 18 to go to college, get a job, travel, etc. It is very rare to see a child after that age being welcome in their home that isn’t pursuing one of the above. American society promotes that children become independent at or around the age of 18, and to not rely too heavily on their relatives for support after that. After this independence, the child is expected to look after their parents when they are elderly. American parents stress over the fact that they sacrifice so much for their children, and that the child is obligated to take care of them in old age. In the Ju/Wasi culture, it is the polar opposite. The parents have no need for their children in old age because they have enough food and others to take care of them.

Along the lines of teenage rebellion and respect, the average American child does not completely respect their parents. It is often desired by the parent and they might attempt to enforce it but with ineffective results, known as “teenage rebellion”. In China, respect is of upmost importance concerning the father and son relationship. If a Chinese son were to go through this teenage rebellion and direct it towards his father, it would have catastrophic results.