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Intercultural Communication 跨文化交流 (通识核心-创新)

Three Types of Friends

It is universally true that all parents in the world love their children.

However, as parents’ view of life vary, they show their love in different ways. Generally speaking, parents can be classified into three types: the monarch type, the servant type, and the friend type according to their different ways of showing their love for their children.

The monarch type of parents are intolerant, autocratic and self-centered. They lay down regulations in the family for their children to observe. Furthermore, they insist that their children should act upon them without question. With a firm belief in their own philosophy of life, they have little respect for others’ opinions, least of all, their children’s. The sentence they say most frequently to their children is, “you should do this.”

Contrary to the monarch-type parents, the servant-type parents revolve around their children all the time. They are soft, good-natured, and easy-going. They never deny their children any wish, and cheerfully run to buy anything their children ask for. They are happy so long as their children are content. With the sincere belief that love means sacrifice, they are ready to give up anything for their children’s sake. With their children at the center of their lives, they always ask, “What else can we do for you?”

The friend-type parents, as the term implies, treat their children as friends. They are generous and wise. Like good friends, they discuss with their children the latest news, share their children’s interests, and listen attentively to their children’s expression of emotion, whether it is anger, fear, joy or sorrow. They have an intimate relationship with their children while adhering to their principled stand. They discuss problems with their children rather than provide ready solution. They respect their children as their equals. They often say: “Let’s put out heads together and see what we can do.”

There is no doubt that children welcome the third type of parents, for a free, friendly, and sympathetic atmosphere at home is most favorable to the development of youngsters both in body and in mind. All parents should re-examine and change some of their ways of showing their love if they want their children to grow up happily and healthily.