A. I think as we get older a lot of things change in our relationships with our parents. Watching parents get older is a bittersweet feeling. As children get older they may begin to help their parents with more things. There is a role shift that happens where the parents start to need the child's help more often. Another change is the way in which communication happens between the parent and child. Adult children are able to express themselves in a more clear concise way and this changes the communication between the groups. I think as the parents and children age the relationship changes into more of a type of friendship. The parent is no longer responsible to discipline children or act as a "parent" so much so the child and parent can take on a sort of friendship role.

B. Culture can affect these changes because different cultures have different expectations of how their elderly are treated. In some cultures, the entire family lives together and this means moving aging parents into the house with them. In American culture, I do not feel it is as common to have elderly parents living with their children. Retirement homes or assisted living facilities I feel are more common.

C. My relationship with my parents has changed in a lot of ways. I think one of the biggest is how much my parents depend on me and come to me for help with different things. Now that I am an adult and free to make my own choices my parents and I have a great relationship. I love doing things with my parents and they really are like my best friends. I am blessed to have such a good relationship with them but this has come from years of positive communication and trust-building when I was younger.

Agree/Disagree? Opinions, Valid source.