RaisingChildren美式教养观Thejobofraisingchildrenisatoughone.Childrendon'tcomewithaninstructionmanual.Andeachchildisdifferent.Soparentssometimespulltheirhairoutinfrustration,notknowingwhattodo.Butinraisingchildren-asinalloflife-whatwedoisinfluencedbyourculture.Naturallythen,AmericanparentsteachtheirchildrenbasicAmericanvalues.养育孩子是件伤脑筋的差事，孩子们并不是生下来就附有说明书的，而每个孩子又都不尽相同，所以有时候父母们真是挫折地扯光了头发，还不知该怎幺办。然而以教养孩子而言，就像生活中所有的事一样，我们的行为都受文化的影响，因此，美国父母很自然地会教导他们的孩子基本的美国价值观。ToAmericans,thegoalofparentsistohelpchildrenstandontheirowntwofeet.Frominfancy,eachchildmaygethisorherownroom.Aschildrengrow,theygainmorefreedomtomaketheirownchoices.Teenagerschoosetheirownformsofentertainment,aswellasthefriendstosharethemwith.Whentheyreachyoungadulthood,theychoosetheirowncareersandmarriagepartners.Ofcourse,manyyoungadultsstillseektheirparents'adviceandapprovalforthechoicestheymake.Butoncethey"leavethenGrowingold美国老人Happybirthday!Dobirthdaysreallymakepeoplehappy?Ofcoursetheydo.Birthdayscelebratethedaywewereborn.Moreover,thatextracandleonthecakerepresentsanotheryearofgrowthandmaturity-orsowehope.Weallliketoimaginethatwe'regettingwiserandnotjustolder.Mostofusenjoyobservingthemiracleofgrowthinothers,aswell.Forinstance,seeingourchildrendevelopandlearnnewthingsmakesusfeelproud.ForAmericans,likepeopleinmostcultures,growingupisawonderfulprocess.Butgrowingold?That'sadifferentstory.生日快乐！生日真能使人快乐吗？这是当然的啊，庆生是庆祝我们来到世上的日子，除此之外，蛋糕上多加一支蜡烛也代表了另一年的成长与成熟--或者说至少我们希望能如此。我们都喜欢想象着自己能够越来越有智能，而不只是变老，我们大部份人也同时较喜欢观察别人成长的奇迹。例如：看到我们的孩子长大并学习新的事物使我们感到骄傲。而对美国人而言，就像大部份其它文化中的人们一样，长大是一个美好的历程，但是变老呢？那可就是另外一回事了。Growingoldisnotexactlypleasantforpeopleinyouth-orientedAmericanculture.MostAmericansliketolookyoung,actyoungandfeelyoung.Astheoldsayinggoes,"You'reasyoungasyoufeel."Olderpeoplejokeabouthowmanyyearsyoungtheyare,ratherthanhowmanyyearsold.Peopleinsomecountriesvaluetheagedasasourceofexperienceandwisdom.ButAmericansseemtofavorthosethatareyoung,oratleast"youngatheart."在美国这个以年轻人为中心的社会中，老化对人们而言并不是一件愉快的事，大部份的美国人都希望自己看起来年轻、行动年轻、并且感觉年轻，如一句古老的名言说：「你感觉自己有多年轻，你就有多年轻。」老年人说自己的年龄时常开玩笑说自己是多少yearsyoung，而不说多少yearsold。某些文化中的人视老年人为经验与智能的资源，可是美国人似乎比较喜用心爱心专心1欢年轻人，或者至少是「心里年轻」的人。ManyolderAmericansfindthe"goldenyears"tobeanythingbutgolden.Economically,"seniorcitizens"oftenstrugglejusttogetby.Retirement-typicallyatage65-bringsasharpdecreaseinpersonalincome.SocialSecuritybenefitsusuallycannotmakeupthedifference.Olderpeoplemaysufferfrompoornutrition,medicalcareandhousing.Someevenexperienceagediscrimination.In1987,AmericansociologistPatMooredresseduplikeanolderpersonandwanderedcitystreets.Shewasoftentreatedrudely-evencheatedandrobbed.However,dressedasayoungperson,shereceivedmuchmorerespect.Ofcourse,notallelderlyAmericanshavesuchnegativeexperiences.Butoldagedoespresentuniquechallenges.许多美国的老年人觉得他们的「黄金年代」一点都不黄金。在经济上来说，老年人常...
