Born and brought up in India, my mother had grown up in a limited, simple lifestyle. Her life consisted of the basics; school and family, and it was limited to only that. She was married to my dad as soon as she had graduated college, and had little to no opportunity to experience the independence that our generation considers crucial nowadays. A year after her marriage, I was born. She did not work, as she chose to prioritize the responsibilities of raising children over her own career. This is a quality I admire the most about my mother. Her naivety and kindness make it easy for me to explain to her what our generation is like, and she listens to the details of my life with an open mind, trying her best to immerse herself into the “Gen Z” lifestyle.
I feel as though the relationship with my mother is one that is mutually beneficial. We learn alot from each other, and it is something I would not exchange for anything. My mother is an immigrant. She isn’t quite familiar with some of the traditions and norms that occur in the United States, however I hold it as my duty to teach her. For example, my mother got married at the very very young age of 21, and she expects me to follow in her footsteps; the footsteps that are considered normal where she came from. But with continuous convincing, I explained to her that my career does come first, and that it is okay to prioritize your future rather than worrying about those around you. It is inspiring to me that my mother has now taken heed to these words. She now works part-time while also taking care of my family, and it makes me so proud to see that she has learned to balance everything that is a priority to her.
To my mom, the idea of college culture was absurd. The concept of even going out of the house on a Saturday night was one that was abnormal, and it took me a while to convince her that it was okay — as long as I had a balanced schedule and prioritized my academics first. My mother now enjoys partaking in fun activities. We have had so many adventures together, and some of these include ATVing, parasailing, kayaking, skiing, and next up on the list is skydiving.
I think something that a lot of kids need to realize is that their parents did not have the same experiences as them, ultimately leading to a different perception towards how one should live their life. Something that I have learned is that parents feel pressure for their children to follow in their footsteps, to live life in the same direction as them, and this is sometimes misinterpreted. Communicating with my mom efficiently has significantly changed both of our lives, and I am beyond grateful to have had the opportunity to grow with my mother.