I have recollections of trying to talk to my parents about stuff and
either they blew me off, or
made me feel stupid for asking.
Eventually, after trying to participate in this less than rewarding
exchange I learned that my parents were not very good at giving answers
or advice. On the
other hand, many of my friends families were
comfortable, kind and
gentle with
each other. When they needed advice, their parents were the first
people they turned to. When I got married, I knew
that if I had children I would have to be a better parent than my
parents were. A few of the things that I wanted to improve upon
included yelling, being supportive, providing information, spending
quality time and being a "cool" parent. Could I bring myself to do this? I don't think so!