"two Kinds" Parent-Child Relationships

After reading different stories in the Making Literature Matter, I have chosen “The Class Two Kinds” to construct an argument regarding an issue of parent-child relationships. We have all known the importance of the relationship between parents and children. “Individual goals often include good health, the absence of stress, and lifelong positive relationships with their children” (Kuchner). Basically, the very first people we have closely connected with since the born of us are our parents. “Although in individuals may form numerous interpersonal relationships throughout their lives, parent-child relationships begin early in children’s lives and are critical for children’s long-term adjustment and success” (Orbuch). That is why the relationship between parents and children is so important. Without a good relationship, a family will not have a good structure. However, as the children grow older, they have more thoughts of viewing different things in their own ways. That always leads to more conflicts between parents and children. Especially at the age of teenagers, they are just turning the level of maturities.

“Early research suggested that parental separation and divorce are associated with a number of negative outcomes in children, such as emotional and behavioral problems, poor school achievement, low self-esteem, and juvenile delinquency”(Amato). The divorce of the parents will also bring some effects to the parent-child relationship. It does not always bring negative effects, but it surely has been an impact in most families.

In the beginning of “Two Kinds”, the mother and the daughter are really having some negative child-parent relationship. Mothers always want the daughters to be the way they want. It is not a bad thing that a mother has high expectations in their children. We all know that is because those mothers always want to give their children the best they can. They also want their children to build enough knowledge and skills in order to have the best future. “Parent- to- parent peer pressure is increasingly motivating parents to focus on academic skill building in younger and younger children. This is fueled by the sales pitches for computer programs, interactive toys and DVDs that promise to turn an infant or toddler into an early reader and ultimately an academic success” (Kuchner). However, sometimes the children will not understand the reason why they cannot choose to be what they want to. Why do they have to do so many more things that their friends do not have to do? Why when their friends are having fun outside, they have to go to different classes? All these questions will make them have the feeling to against anything that they don’t like. In “Two Kinds,” “Why don’t you like me the way I am? I’m not a genius! I can’t play the piano. And even if I could, I wouldn’t go on TV if you paid me a million dollars!” They feel bored of everything that they are