爸爸和我都用msn，妈妈和我都喜欢超女。现代父母和子女真的打成一片了吗？

　　Sometimes, when Tom Krattenmaker and his 16-year-old daughter, Holland, listen to rock music together and talk about pop culture. They both enjoy these moments.

　　Mr. Krattenmaker, from Pennsylvania, USA, recalled his relationship with his parents when he was a teenager. “I would never have said to my mom, ‘Hey, this new album(专辑) is really great — how do you like it?’”. He said, “There was just a complete gap in sensibility(情感) and taste.”

　　Music was not the only gap. From clothing and hairstyles to activities and expectations(期望), earlier generations of parents and children often appeared to be in separate orbits(轨道).

　　Today, the generation gap has not disappeared, but it is shrinking(缩小) in many families, according to reports.

　　The new equality in family

　　Parents today are more youthful in appearance and attitudes(态度). They also wear blue jeans and they have casual hairstyles. Those who like sports also enjoy Rollerblading(轮滑), snowboarding, and rock-climbing with their children.

　　The old authoritarian(权威主义的) method is giving way to a more equal one. Parents will take the “Come, let us reason together” attitude instead of “Because I said so, that’s why.”

　　The result can be a rewarding closeness among family members. Conversations that would have been awkward(别扭的) on subjects such as sex and drugs now are comfortable and common between western parents and children. Parents realize that children may have important thoughts or feelings that adults need to know.

　　No wonder greeting cards today carry the message, “To my mother, my best friend.”

　　Downsides of being equal

　　Family experts, however, worry that the new equality can also have downsides(弊端) — decreasing respect for parents as everyone has a say(发言权) in the family and self-indulgence(任性) of the children as the power shifts to them.

　　Many parents have started making decisions based on what their children want. Parents focus on making their children happy, as opposed to guiding most appropriately(恰当). Busy parents have an increase of guilt and are less eager to spend time disciplining(使遵守纪律，责罚).

　　In addition, parents tend to encourage children’s independence, making them more responsible for themselves. Some worry that if they tell their child no, or impose limits, it will hurt the child’s self-esteem(自尊).