MADE BY: Natalia Dmitrieva, TAL-06-02

The traditional structure of the American family Job for parents and school for children Keep in touch with relatives How parents try to spend their free time? Children’s free time Good or bad? The main decoration of their houses CONTENTS:

The traditional structure of the American family: motherfather children

In most British families:  Both parents work  Very young children go to nursery schools or stay at home with a childminder  Teenagers go to schools, universities or colleges

Americans often move house from city to city or from state to state American families live far away from their relatives … BUT  They keep in touch with each other by telephone or letter.  During the holidays or at celebrations like Thanksgiving, Christmas, families often visit each other.

American parents try to spend their free time with their children going to the cinema, museums or parks. During the week they usually have dinner together.

Children’s free time:  watch television  listen to music  play computer games  have after school jobs  belong to youth groups such as Girl Scouts or Boy Scouts.

Good or bad? Thousands of young Americans volunteer to help take care of the elderly, the handicapped and hospital patients, or help clean up the environment. Peer pressure, changing family conditions, mobility of families, unemployment and problems at school may lead to use of alcohol or drugs, the refusal to attend school, running away from home, teenage pregnancies.

Family portraits and souvenirs are the main decoration of their houses

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