Im trying to think of arguments or confrontations that would occur between a parental figure/ mentor and their new mentee (who is in their early 20s). For some reason, im drawing a blank on the arguments ive had with my parents as a kid/young adult....
Arguments about agency. Maybe the mentor is too controlling and treats the mentee like a child or the new mentee is like "I'm in my early 20s what are you doing" Arguments about responsibility. Maybe the mentee is too flaky. Maybe the mentor is heaping too much responsibility on them. Arguments about overworking, trust, boundaries, etc. etc. I feel are most common with parents vs kids.
Why can't I let my hair grow down to my knees? Why do I have to make my bed / pick up my dirty laundry / put away my clean laundry? Why can't I do out with [boyfriend] / [girlfriend] / buddies / [older man] / [underaged person of opposite sex]? Whaddaya mean I have a curfew? I need $200 to take my [boyfriend] / [girlfriend] out to dinner I got another speeding ticket and you need to go to court with me on Wednesday Why do I have to help wash the dinner dishes?
Something where experience is involved? The mentor has a certain amount of experience with a certain thing that the ward disregards and tries to go their own way?
How the 20-something person spends the money he or she earns. My mother firmly believed that every penny I made that did not go directly to living expenses should be saved and that spending any money at all on extras like a rug or a pair of shoes that didn't come from Kmart was fiscally irresponsible, self-indulgent, and bordering on insanity. It drove her nuts that I didn't go straight from college into a nine to five job with a big salary, health benefits, and room for advancement. She got married at 19, never went to college, and never held a fulltime job, but her lack of experience didn't keep her from knowing exactly how I was supposed to conduct a life that was nothing like the one she'd led. Ah, I miss ya, Mom.
Thank you guys!! Your posts have jogged my memory (for better or for worst lol). I've got material to go off of now!
