During a casual BBQ get together at my friend’s house, one of my friend’s daughters came in and demanded that a specific adult go out and play with them. When that adult was reluctant to comply, the young girl went on to say “If you don’t come out right now, you are fired!” While this sounds almost Donald Trumpish, it reminded me how my own kids sometimes speak disrespectfully to my husband and I; often forgetting to use the words please and thank you. The concept of not interrupting an adult’s conversation is also “lost in translation.” What’s really going on with this new generation of Chinese Americans?

I’m not trying to advocate an environment where the children are afraid of the parents, but shouldn’t there be some kind of boundaries? Please drop me a note as I would love to hear your thoughts. Do you have “war” stories from your own childhood? I know in my family, I was not allowed to speak at the dinner table until I was spoken too, and I cannot put my chopstick in a dish that an adult hasn’t had an opportunity to eat first. How times have changed!