<p>Luwain... Same here! We used to live in a freakin basement. And then we came to the US, lived in the ghetto for a while, and now i guess we're upper middle class. But having money is so overrated, we have to remember that theres more important things in life.</p>
<p>well, let's see... i'm black. and um, my family was poor for the first 10 years of my life (like, my mom bought our clothes from goodwill and stuff). both my mom and dad grew up in the projects, with strict parents (strict in terms of respect, discipline, and chores. not really strict in terms of curfew or school). my parents were the only people in their families to go to college. like i said, the first 10 years of my life we were poor cuz my parents were just out of college and it hadn't paid off yet. then, after that, my dad finally got his big break and now we are upperclass (500K+ a year). </p>
<p>so basically, academics are supremely important to my parents. i'm naturally smart and independent, so i've always strived for good grades no matter what my parents expected. but, whenever i brought home an A- or B, my mom would ask if i needed a tutor...</p>
<p>also, my parents have made us do chores since we were about 7. i still do chores and i get no allowance for it. (although, i get money whenever i ask for it). my parents made all of us get jobs so that we know the value of making our own money. </p>
<p>i have always had a curfew and i continue to have a curfew (usually 12:30) even though i'm going to college in the fall.</p>
<p>also, my mom went to catholic school for all of her life, so she sorta had her fill of religion and my dad just never really cared. so, we don't go to church. but, all of us have read the bible.</p>
<p>and, all of us do whatever my parents say. talking back is not acceptable. it's something they've taught us since childhood. we do what they say, when they say. we also don't act at anyone's house. basically, we were taught to always know our place.</p>
<p>also, my mom is a huge neat freak, so we are expected to regularly clean and do our chores in an efficient manner. my dad is really messy, so when he is around, we can be really messy too.</p>
<p>Lets see....</p>
<p>I'm homeschooled my mom teaches my sister and I. I'm black by the way. </p>
<p>We don't have any money at all! Infact you could call us seriously poor people. I'm cool with that. My mom has told me that good things are always soon to come. :) I believe her, just like I believe in god. </p>
<p>My father was a top lawyer making millions of dollars, but...... he left us, and is retired now. (Ass) He taught me alot of stuff on hard work. </p>
<p>He blew most of his money on unessecary things.........</p>
<p>Now he lives in some up-scale neighborhood. (Like I give a damn)</p>
<p>My mom has taught me a ton of stuff on religion.</p>
<p>She is an artist. </p>
<p>So I have gotten a combo of religious lessons and hard work. </p>
<p>Curfew???? When my mom says come in......I come runnin or I'll get my ass beat. j/k</p>
<p>We can't be outside too late. </p>
<p>Just about 6:00pm -7:00pm. </p>
<p>My mother and father are of course college grads, of course. </p>
<p>My mom was like a scholar in college and in highschool. </p>
<p>My dad was a smart guy too.</p>
<p>-My parents came to the US from Nigeria, got married and had my brother and I(we're a year apart). My brother and I were then sent to Nigeria (I think I was 2) and were raised by our grandparents until I was 5- my parents still visited us while we were there. They were trying to build a stable home here and my mom was going to school here at the same time (she got a full ride to KSU) but we were still pretty poor (living in a rundown apartment in smyrna), until she got her bacherlor's degree and we were able to move to a house in acworth, where she had my three little sisters, and then to a bigger house from there.. so we're definitley living comfortably now.</p>
<ul>
<li>Anyway, education is very important in my family, as well as honesty and hard work. Although they want us to have good grades in school, we are pretty much on our own when it comes to projects/school work. They'll buy what we need but we have to figure it out, i hated this in elementary school, but im pretty creative w/ projects now, so, they want us to think independently, I guess They try to raise us like they would in Africa (im like a second mother in the house :cleaning (for as long as I can remember), cooking full meals(traditional food) and watching my sisters since I was 9.) I have to do all that work for free- we dont and have never gotten an allowance, but we still get what we want if we ask- might have to work a little extra for it sometimes</li>
<li>There are, however, some bonuses to having foreign parents- We dont get grounded b/z they dont get the point of it, they dont look at the ratings of anything, movies, games, etc.(was pretty cool when I was around 10- not that big a deal anymore) and, because my brother and I are the oldest, we (well, mostly me anyway)have to right to tell our younger sisters what to do and our opinions count</li>
</ul>
<p>okay,</p>
<p>I'm Egyptian, so are both of my parents and my two brothers (I'm the middle child by the way) They are still together by the way. Anyway, I've been brought up and tought pretty old fashion conserative values. My parents stress that I should be religious and (as a child) they always made sure I was praying regularly. That sort of stuck and I'm moderatly religious. I can't stay out after 11 PM and I would have to go through one of their long lectures about obedience if I'm ever late. They are extrememly inflexible when it comes to money; they know where every penny (or in this case; piaster) goes and monitor what I spend my money on (I get 25 Egyptian pounds a week; exchange rate is $1: 5.7 pounds, you do the math) anyway, so I can't get away with buying a pack of cigarettes. They also remind me that smoking is bad and never forget to tell me stories about people who smoked and croaked.
They have never smoked, drunk and want me to do the same (and for once I agree with them).
All in all, I think I was brought up fine and that my morals and values will help me later in life. </p>
<p>(hey, this isn't as long as I thought it would be)</p>
<p>-Parents: both intelligent people. But Dad got suspended from hs couple of times (rebellious behavior). Dropped out of medical school because he hated it. I take my dad's side: pretty smart but a bit rebellious here and there.</p>
<p>-Rules: No lies. Or we were carefully spanked until we told the truth lol</p>
<p>-Education: "Always work hard for your goals and your dreams will always come true". But if somehow we fail, "Everything happens for a reason. Just move on"</p>
<p>-Belongings: I basically got everything I asked for as a child except: a dog, a trampoline, a cat, a mouse. I used to nag for everything. But now, with a mature head, I only ask for what I REALLY need. I dont have a job.</p>
<p>-Religion: Dad doesnt give a crap. Mum is sorta unofficially into buddism. Both agnostic. I take both sides of parents.</p>
<p>-Curfew: I'm pretty honest about everything and I have my parents trust so I dont have a curfew (unlike my little sis)</p>
<p>-Reminders: I get random talks time to time (about once every 5 months?) about smoking, drugs, sex, alcohol, college, peer pressure, acadamics, etc..</p>
<p>My parents are Indian Immigrants, with postgraduate degrees, but we've always live a middle-class (maybe lower-middle class at some times) life.</p>
<p>And I think this basically sums up how my life is - I have a curfew. It's about 20 minutes after I leave the house, unless I'm under some adult supervision.</p>
<p>Luwain! My first American home was Dover, too! Then Edison (like every other Indian in NJ), and now an annoyingly wealthy (and pretentious) suburb.</p>
<p>
[quote]
My parents are Indian Immigrants, with postgraduate degrees, but we've always live a middle-class (maybe lower-middle class at some times) life.</p>
<p>And I think this basically sums up how my life is - I have a curfew. It's about 20 minutes after I leave the house, unless I'm under some adult supervision.
[/quote]
omg, you're like my Indian brother (or sister?). That's my life. Except that I'm Chinese.</p>
<p>my parents are US citizens so am I The only non-us citizen in my family is my second cousin whom was raised for her first 2 1/2-3 yrs in Switzerland..she now lives in jersey she will be 4 in April...they just moved a few months ago her dad travels a lot for work hes my cousin and god father...
I grew up w/ 2 older sisters
I grew up w/ ADHD and a PDD...
IM academically challenged to a small part..
I went to waldorf school in Nursery school sped school for pre-k public from k-9 SPED PRIVATE HS from 10th(im going into 11th now) which i will stay in till graduation.
My parents arent that religious..we used to go to church a lot when i was little but my dad owns a party rental company which takes up so much of his time which includes working on sundays for time to time...my dad used to be very religous..he went to parochial school k-12th grade..
I Have no rules really except clean ur room and DONT Curse(which i always break!) CUSSING IS FUN! jkjk it is tho...duhhh
I have to make my room and feed the dog and right now spray something weird in both my cats and dogs food(i dont have to feed my cat tho) and o yah walk my dog</p>
<p>oh and my moms getting herself a b.sw and after that will be getting her MSw(social work) right now..at a college nearby and thru a program w/ her school will be going to Fordham-LC to get the MSW
my dad got a b.a and masters in something weird..b4 he started the bus. 26-7 yrs ago</p>
<p>(this came out soooo long)</p>
<p>I'm white and live on Long Island, upper middle class, suburban. My dad went to college, but then dropped out because of illness and my mom was in the top 10 of her class, but didn't go to college. She had been working a steady job since her senior year of HS. My parents met each other when they were in their twenties, got married, but didn't have their first child (me) until 10 years later. (They both thought my father was sterile.)</p>
<p>When I was younger, we lived in disgusting apartments and were living from paycheck to paycheck. My mom got into insurance and things started looking up since then. She worked VERY hard to get where we are today. My dad started a vending business. About 5 years ago, my mother quit her job and starting working on the vending business. It has grown since then and now they both work full time on it and it has become very lucrative. My mom looks at least 10 years younger since quitting her other job and my parents are one of the happiest couples I know. </p>
<p>As for me, they never really instilled a lot of morals in me. They tell me to trust my instincts. Not to be slutty. They tell me I can tell them anything. They're very free and open about things like sexuality. They tell me that they can accept me in whatever I do. They're very big on my individual freedom and letting me make my own choices. They're always there to support me. They definitely try to teach me the value of a dollar, so to say. I don't get an allowance and never have. I work with them during the summer and get $35 a day, plus a bonus if all stores are finished. They want me to be a hard worker. My academic life is VERY important to them. I know my father wants at least one son instead of two daughters, but I don't care. Most of all, my parents want me to be happy.</p>
<p>As for chores, I have plenty of them, but I don't get an allowance. I have to empty/load dishwasher, set table/clear table, make dinner, take out garbage, wash laundry, put away laundry, make beds, vacuum, mop floors, clean the house in general, water the lawn, and other various things. I don't have a curfew, just a "call me later," but I never abuse my freedom. I don't live on the same floor as my parents, and they work a lot so I don't see them all that much. They don't drive me around to friends' houses, I have to walk. They mostly leave me to do my own thing. My parents are not religious at all, they believe in God and my grandmother was basically the one to raise me Catholic but I'm not practicing. They don't care about cursing or piercings. They want me to drink with them so I don't do it outside of the house. They tell me their life experiences so I know about their lives and what mistakes they made. They want me to go to college so I can have good life experience and get to know the outside world. Finally, my dad always says that it's a parent's job to make their child's life better than their own was. :)</p>
<p>Oh, and I have a sister and she's a disaster.</p>
<p>I wish I had parents who would let me do whatever I wanted...but unfirtunately I'm stuck with mine.</p>
<p>hmm...very very interesting. it seems many people have that inner drive and motivation regardless of what their surroundings are. So that means that I can't blame my parents for the way i turned out..</p>