In
the American family the husband and wife usually share important decision
making. When the children are old enough, they take part {{U}} {{U}}
1 {{/U}} {{/U}}. Foreigners are often surprised by the
permissiveness of American parents. The old rule that "children should be seen
and not heard" is rarely {{U}} {{U}} 2 {{/U}} {{/U}}, and
children are often allowed to do what they wish without strict parental
{{U}} {{U}} 3 {{/U}} {{/U}}. The father seldom expects his
children to obey him {{U}} {{U}} 4 {{/U}} {{/U}}question, and
children are encouraged to be independent {{U}} {{U}} 5 {{/U}}
{{/U}}an early age. Some people believe that American parents carry this freedom
{{U}} {{U}} 6 {{/U}} {{/U}}far. Others think that a strong
father image would not {{U}} {{U}} 7 {{/U}} {{/U}}the American
values of equality and independence. Because Americans emphasize the importance
of independence, young people are expected to break {{U}} {{U}} 8
{{/U}} {{/U}}their parental families by the time they have {{U}} {{U}}
9 {{/U}} {{/U}}their late teens or early twenties. {{U}} {{U}}
10 {{/U}} {{/U}}, not to do so is often regarded as a failure, a kind of
weak dependence. This pattern of independence often results in
serious {{U}} {{U}} 11 {{/U}} {{/U}}for the aging parents of a
small family. The average American is expected to live {{U}} {{U}}
12 {{/U}} {{/U}}the age of 70. The job-retirement age is {{U}}
{{U}} 13 {{/U}} {{/U}}65. The children have left home, married, and
{{U}} {{U}} 14 {{/U}} {{/U}}their own households. At least 20%
of all people over 65 do not have enough retirement incomes. {{U}} {{U}}
15 {{/U}} {{/U}}the major problem of many elderly couples is not
economic. They feel useless and lonely with neither an occupation nor a close
family group.