I come from the South Asian Culture. Within South Asian and Southeast Asian families is a hierarchical social order featuring a series of superior and subordinate individuals. In most families, the father is considered to be the head of the family and the decision maker. The mother is the emotionally devoted, nurturing parental figure who feeds the children and takes care of the household. The family extends horizontally and vertically; these various relationships are valued, and appropriate respect is given to each family member.
Grandparents have a high status in the family and are respected and cared for by other family members. It is not uncommon to see grandparents taking care of the children whenever such need arises. Many situations foster dependence in South Asian and Southeast Asian children and youths. For example, most South Asian and Southeast Asian parents take complete financial responsibility for their children until they complete their studies, find a job, or get married. In turn, children acknowledge a great obligation to their parents, who have brought them into the world and cared for them when they were helpless. They fulfill this obligation by looking after the parents in their old age. (Lustig & Koester, 2005)
South Asians and Southeast Asians believe that the older a person gets, the more maturity and knowledge he or she acquires; older persons thus are respected for these attributes. Families turn to older family members for advice and support when they are in crisis, and respect is given according to the hierarchical order. For example, younger siblings are expected to respect older siblings and look up to them for guidance and advice. The younger siblings may not address the older siblings by name, but only by certain special terms.
In addition to respect based on a family hierarchy, South Asians.......
