Parentsandkidstodaydressalikelistentothesamemusicandarefriends.Isthisagoodthing?
SometimeswhenMr.Ballmerandhis16-year-olddaughterElizabethlistentorockmusictogether
andtalkaboutinterestsbothenjoysuchaspopcultureheremembershismoredistantrelationshipwith
hisparentswhenhewasateenager.
"Iwouldneverhavesaidtomymom'HeythenewWeezeralbumisreallygreat.Howdoyoulike
it?'"saysBallmer."Therewasjustacompletegapintaste."
Musicwasnottheonlygulf.Fromclothingandhairstylestoactivitiesandexpectationsearlier
generationsofparentsandchildrenoftenappearedtomoveinseparateorbits.
Todaythegenerationgaphasnotdisappearedbutitisgettingnarrowinmanyfamilies.
Conversationsonsubjectssuchassexanddrugswouldnothavetakenplaceagenerationago.Now
theyarecomfortableandcommon.Andparent-childactivitiesfromshoppingtosportsinvolveafeeling
oftrustandfriendshipthatcancontinueint0adulthood.
Nowondergreetingcardstodaycarrythemessage"Tomymothermybestfriend."
Butfamilyexpertswarnthatthenewequalitycanalsoresultinlessrespectforparents."There'sstilla
lotofstrictnessandauthorityonthepartofparentsouttherebutthereisachangehappening"says
KerrieapsychologyprofessoratLebanonValleyCollege."Inthemiddleofthatchangethereisalotof
confusionamongparents."
Familyresearchersofferavarietyofreasonsfortheseevolvingrolesandattitudes.Theyseethe
1960sasaturningpoint.Greatculturalchangesledtomoreopencommunicationandamoredemocratic
processthatencourageseveryonetohaveasay.
"Myparentswereonthe'before'sideofthatchangebuttoday'sparentsthe40-year-oldswereon
the 'after'side"explainsMr.Ballmer."It'snotsomethingeasilyaccomplishedbyparentsthesedays
becauselifeismoredifficulttounderstandordealwithbutsharinginterestsdoesmakeitmorefuntobe
aparentnow."
1.TheunderlinedwordgulfinPara.3mostprobablymeans_________.
A.interest
