Knockout Round

The longest battle, the hardest war, the most trying debate, the worst competition: whatever adjectives and nouns you use, it all revolves around the argument of: Parents vs. Kids (mostly teenagers).
Disclaimer: I love and respect both of my parents immensely.
Parents and their children seem to butt heads more times than infinite, especially at the ages 13-19. Being in the prime age of 17, I feel myself to be fully qualified to discuss the battle of Parent vs. Kid.
At this point in life, we begin to argue and disagree with our parents for several reasons. (1) We're annoying brats. (yeah I admit it, I can be an annoying brat) (2) Mainstream media has taught us that this is what you need to do (EVERY DISNEY SHOW EVER). Finally, (3) We're beginning to form our own opinions and thoughts. We no longer free ride off of our parents. Here's where the real problem lies.
Our opinions and thoughts are formed from our surroundings. We form ideas from the things that impact us and affect our day-to-day life. With these newly formed ideas and thoughts, we enter our homes. For me, (and other technical immigrants) our surroundings are far different from the ones our parents grew up in. I've grown up in a predominantly white, affluent suburban town in Texas, whereas my mother grew up in Karachi- two extremely polar opposite places. So when my mother sits down and tries to relate my struggles with her teenage life, it's hard to draw the comparison. For parents in Pakistan who grew up in Pakistan raising kids in Pakistan, it's easy to say "Back in my day..." or any parent raising his kid in the same place he was raised. However, when my mother says, "When I went to school in Pakistan..." or "I did this as a teenager...", it is easy for me to disregard her. I don't disregard her because I don't want to listen to her (okay, like 14% of the time that's the reason), but I do it because I don’t know how to draw the parallel. The problems I face as a high school student in the U.S. are nowhere near the problems my mother faced. First off, the education in Pakistan is drastically different from the education here, so it's hard for her to help me with school work. For example, for AP U.S. History, I can't really expect my mom to know the causes of the Civil War or the grievances the colonists had with Britain. My mom learned a whole other history: the history of Pakistan. Back then, my mother didn't have some of the social problems I have here America. Dating is common in the U.S., even back in the 60s, and 70s, but in 1960s Pakistan, the concept of going out on dates and having a relationship with multiple, or even one, individual was out of the ordinary. When I asked my aunt (who still lives is Pakistan) about dating she replied, “NO NEVER NOT LEGAL. It's not part of the culture. Totally a thing of the west.” So, discussing dating with my mother is somewhat of a taboo topic.
Though there are many problems raising a technical immigrant, parents do an awesome job. Sure, they pressure us into working super hard in school, but that's because they gave us a chance at a good education and don't want us to lose it. I mean, if you think about it, our parents instill a whole set of beliefs and culture that don't surround us. For example, though dating is in the American culture, and I've grown- up in the American culture, I do not and have not had a boyfriend because my mom said no. The same goes for a lot things, the list is pretty long...
Have a fab time,

Mahahahahahahaha

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