For people in most cultures, the generation gap in their family is mainly about differences in musical tastes, career choices, and lifestyles. In Asian American families, however, the process of adapting to American culture makes the generation gap wider.
Naturally, children of Asian American immigrants adapt to American culture much faster than their parents. English quickly becomes their first language. They accept American values such as individualism, freedom, honesty, and competition. They also start to follow American traditions in their daily lives.
On the other hand, many first-generation Asian American parents fail to adapt to the new culture. They continue to use their native language. They keep practising their traditional lifestyle and old culture. They often try to force their children to follow their native country’s cultural values, such as the importance of family, respect for the elders and the community.
Due to their different attitudes to the new culture, Asian American children may have cultural values different from their parents’ Asian cultural values. They may not do what their parents want them to do or what they are expected to do. As aresult, Asian American parents may fail to have their children follow the family traditional values.
The generation gap in Asian American families