Parents are fragile things. There is a very fine line between approval and disapproval
with most parents. No teenager I know ever seems to do anything right by their mum or
dad. My mother always nags me to do things like clean my teeth, tidy my room, do my
homework blah blah....
It's probably the same with many other teenagers out there. When asked why parents nag
they often say "it's for your own good" or something equally insane. These comments rate
right up there with "because I said so" and "because I'm your father or because I'm your
mother"
It is, in fact, very easy to judge if a particular child is or isn't nagged. If I were to
take my friend Doug for example, I could very easily say that his mother didn't nag him
much at all. This is because he simply does what he likes. I mean, who does the right
thing when nobody cares if you don't? Now take myself, I have had more than my fare
share of nagging in my time. How do you know? Well, everything I am was shaped by my
mother. She is an epitome of understanding, a wealth of knowledge and of course I have
inherited the other traits like beauty and genetic perfection.
I know I certainly hate being nagged. If my mum gets on my nerves I'd say just about
anything to shut her up sometimes.
Have a look at Josephine in the novel "Looking for Alibrandi" and compare her to her
mother. Jose may absolutely hate her mother sometimes but at others be unable to live
without her presence. I don't think that Jose could ever imagine her mother being in the
same position as her. What I don't understand is if our parents have been through this
themselves, then why do they have such a hard time understanding why their children often
hate them for the same reasons?
My main point is that if our parents have resented their parents for the way they were
brought up, why do they treat our generation in the same way?
I think the answer lies in the control and freedom teenagers have and want these days.
As we get older we tend to want to be in control of our direction, and not be forced in a
particular direction by someone else, even by a parent. This is why I don't like my
mother nagging, because it symbolises that feeling of control and power that our parents
crave.
|