Young people should appreciate family traditions. How far do you agree with this opinion? Explain why.

[ ​https://www.huffpost.com/entry/why-we-need-to-maintain-family-tradition_b_6279268​ ]

Why We Need to Maintain Family Tradition

Tradition is one of the most beautiful ideologies we have created and experience as living and loving humans.
There is no cookie cutter outline for what your tradition should look like, who you should share it with or how it
should grow over time.

Tradition remains one of the few practices that truly belongs to your family and close friends, and allows you
to cherish the very valuable memories created with your loved ones over the years. While maintaining family tradition
is important, it can be a challenging feat with the fast paced and technologically driven world we occupy today.

Sometimes, tradition is smooth and simple, presenting itself naturally and by habit as the holidays, years and
months pass. Other times, it requires more planning and effort on behalf of multiple people, which can of course make
the event at hand, seem more tiring or cumbersome. Pros and cons accepted, preserving and nurturing your family
traditions are healthy, warming and keep you close to your family and roots. Here are five reasons why you should
make a conscious effort to recognize, maintain and enjoy your family traditions!

Tradition is constant. Our lives are fast-paced, high-stress, busy and all over the place. Things change so
rapidly and what we attach ourselves to can come and go with the blink of an eye. Tradition gives us an opportunity to
live in the moment and enjoy something that we have created as a family. It gives us the chance to slow down,
appreciate and express gratitude towards the things in our lives that are not run by technology and busy demands. As
people, jobs, money and things make their way in and out of our lives, our family traditions can be here to stay, if you
let them!

Tradition gives you something to look forward to. ​Have you ever had a vacation in the near future that makes
work and all of your day-to-day tasks more enjoyable? It's so nice to have something fun and enjoyable in the horizon.
We are human and just as tradition is important, changing up our day to day is equally important. Having a family
event brought on by tradition to look forward to makes everyday life that much better. One of my family traditions
includes making tamales from scratch every single year while we drink mimosas, listen to music and joke and laugh
all day. Maybe it's time start creating some more tradition, even if it's something as simple as once a month pot luck
dinner. What traditions do you have to look forward to his holiday season?

Tradition is really enjoyable​. Seriously, there is no better feeling in the world than knowing I get to watch
The Grinch with my family every year before Christmas. We all have dinner, lay on the couch, eat popcorn, turn all
the Christmas lights on and revel in the family favorite. It brings me so much stress relief and so much happiness to
enjoy this tradition we have created each year. Traditions tend to consist of social events, eating, drinking and other
fun and memorable experiences. Enjoy it!

Tradition won't preserve itself. Tradition is nothing without you, your family, your laughs, your ideas and
your memories. It's not something that exists outside of us, but rather within us and our energy. If you're not
preserving your family tradition, who is? It's time to step up as a leader in your family and encourage that these
traditions happen each year. Like I said, sometimes these traditions require more planning and preparation, but if this
isn't worth it, what is? If those around you are feeling bored or tired of the same old routine, do your best to
communicate how important it is for the young people in your family to experience that routine. You could even try
suggesting something new in addition to the tradition to make it innovative and different.

Tradition keeps us grounded and focused. While both good and bad distractions present themselves every
day, tradition does an excellent job of keeping us focused on the things that are truly important. It keeps us grounded
and close to our families, and exemplifies the love we have for each other and the importance of being together. Let
tradition be your anchor.

Whether your tradition involves wearing fuzzy socks while eating pumpkin pancakes on Christmas morning,
or jumping in the pool at midnight on New Year's Eve, treasure it. Enjoy it and talk about it. Tell your family how
much you enjoy these occurrences that sometimes don't ever get the official 'tradition' title. Create new traditions as
your family grows and emphasize how important it is to share these memories with the people you love most. As you
grow older, keep your childhood traditions alive and let them grow and change with you as your family starts to
experience them as well. If you're reading this and having a hard time pin pointing what your traditions looks like, get
started today; it's never too late. Call up your family or even close friends and make some of these memories happen.
Happy holidays and may all of your traditions be as beautiful as you've ever remembered them to be.

[​https://www.artofmanliness.coma/articles/creating-a-positive-family-culture-the-importance-of-establishing-family
-traditions/​ ]

What Is a Tradition?

Traditions are behaviors and actions that you engage in again and again – regular rituals that you perform at the same
time and/or in the same way. Traditions can be big or small, but they differ from routines and habits in that they are
done with a specific purpose in mind and require thought and intentionality. Meg Cox, the author of ​The Book of New
Family Traditions​, defines family ritual as “any activity you purposefully repeat together as a family that includes
heightened attentiveness and something extra that lifts it above the ordinary ruts.” Traditions, when done right, lend a
certain magic, spirit, and texture to our everyday lives.

Why Traditions Are So Important for Families

Traditions offer numerous benefits to our families, including but not limited to the fact that they:

Provide a source of identity. ​Traditions and rituals often tell a story about a family. On the macro level, traditions can
teach children where their family came from or give them insights into their cultural or religious history (e.g. eating
tamales on Christmas Eve to celebrate your Mexican heritage). On a more micro level, traditions can serve as
reminders of events that have shaped your family and your children (e.g. every year your family rents the same lake
house, and each time you go it reminds you of all the experiences you’ve had on previous trips). Traditions, and the
stories they tell about one’s family, play an important role in shaping a child’s personal identity. Psychologist Marshal
Duke ​has found that children who have an intimate knowledge of their family’s history are typically more
well-adjusted and self-confident than children who don’t. There’s something about understanding your past and
knowing you belong to something bigger than yourself that instils confidence.

Strengthen the family bond. ​Researchers have consistently found that families that engage in frequent traditions
report stronger connection and unity than families that haven’t established rituals together. Traditions provide an
all-too-rare chance for face-to-face interaction, help family members get to know and trust each other more intimately,
and create a bond that comes from feeling that one is part of something unique and special.

Offer comfort and security. ​Family traditions and rituals are the antidote to the harried feeling that comes from our
fast-paced and ever-changing world. It’s comforting to have a few constants in your life. Traditions can thus be
particularly effective during times of change and grief. Maybe you’ve moved your family to a new state and
everything is new and strange for your kids, but at least they know that every Tuesday is still pizza night and every
Saturday morning they can still count on going on a bike ride with dad. If someone special passes away, by taking
your children to a tree you planted in their honour each month, children can acknowledge their feelings of sadness and
feel that the deceased has not been forgotten. Researchers have found that family traditions and rituals can provide
comfort and security to children, even if a main source of their stress originates from within the family itself. For
example, one study found that “families of alcoholics are less likely to transmit alcoholism to the next generation if
they maintain the family dinnertime ritual and do not allow a parent’s alcoholism to interfere with this time together.”

Teach values. ​One of the main purposes of rituals, whether religious or secular, is to impart and reinforce values. The
same goes with family traditions. Through daily family prayer, the importance of faith is re-enforced; through nightly
bedtime stories, the value of education, reading, and life-long learning is inculcated; and through regular family
dinners or activities, the centrality of familial solidarity is instilled.

Add to the rhythm and seasonality of life​. Our world and universe are composed of cycles big and small – sunrise and
sunset, death and rebirth, winter, spring, summer, and fall. ​Even the generations move in cycles​. A circular conception
of time and a desire to follow the natural rhythm of the days and the seasons is embedded deep within us, but has been
flattened out in a modern age that creates its own timetable and concentrates only on the present.

In the Middle Ages, peasants had 150 days of the year for rest, feasts, and holidays; their life was hard but the cycles
of work and celebration followed a steady rhythm. These days we can’t take off half the year to participate in
traditions, but we can establish small, regular rituals that give us and our children unchanging wayposts both to look
forward to in anticipation, and look back on with satisfaction.

Pass on cultural and religious heritage. ​Many family traditions have been passed down through multiple generations.
Continuing them in your own family is a great way to teach your children about your family’s cultural and religious
history, thus adding to their personal identity. If you’re having a hard time coming up with traditions for your new
family, your family history is a great place to mine for them.

Connect generations. ​In his book ​The Secrets of Happy Families​, author Bruce Feiler argues that grandparents serve
as humanity’s “ace in the hole.” Nana and PopPop are worthy of such a descriptor; sociologists and family researchers
have found that ​children who have a high level of grandparental involvement have fewer emotional and behavioral
problems. Moreover, high grandparental involvement is also correlated with lower maternal stress and higher
involvement from dad. Family traditions are a great way to cultivate that valuable grandparental involvement.
Growing up, our family would trek out to New Mexico to spend Thanksgiving at my grandpa’s ranch. I’ve got lots of
great memories of helping my grandpa with chores and riding horses with him.

Create lasting memories. ​In her book ​Ask the Children,​ Ellen Galinsky, cofounder of the Families and Work Institute,
describes a survey in which she asked children what they would remember most about their childhood. Most of the
kids responded by talking about simple, everyday traditions like family dinners, holiday get-togethers, and bedtime
stories. Those positive childhood memories can help make your child a happier and more generous adult. While
psychologists used to consider nostalgia a sign of depression, ​recent research has shown that reflecting fondly on one’s
past actually provides a myriad of positive benefits including counteracting loneliness, boosting generosity towards
strangers, and staving off anxiety. To get the full benefits of nostalgia, though, you need to have a well-stocked
“nostalgia repository.” What better way to fill that repository than by creating and maintaining meaningful family
traditions!

[ ​https://www.swhd.org/celebrating-tradition-and-cultural-awareness-with-young-children/​ ​]

Celebrate Tradition and Cultural Awareness with Young Children

Cultural awareness and tradition play important roles in helping young children develop a positive sense of
identity and build self-esteem. ​Studies show that cultural appreciation and awareness contribute to building a positive
self-image. Developing a strong foundation of belonging and acceptance through cultural celebration and education
helps children to create a diverse social network while transitioning into adulthood.
There are many ways that parents can teach their children about their own cultures while exploring others.
(Teach the language) T ​ eaching children to be bilingual or multilingual has ​many advantages​. Language is a
powerful tool that can provide enhanced insight on family history, stories and traditions. Children who are literate in
multiple languages can better comprehend family stories and history. Being multilingual also allows children to form a
relationship with their family’s heritage by reading family recipes and stories, understanding traditional songs and
more. Learning multiple languages promotes an overall sense of cultural appreciation and understanding.
(Celebrate holdays and traditions) ​The importance of holidays and traditions spans across most cultures.
Participating in the celebration of holidays creates a special experience that can help bond young children with their
family’s cultural traditions. Parents can help teach children about a range of holidays and traditions to help them build
an understanding that their personal traditions may be different than their friends at school. Talk with your child to
explain that not all children celebrate the same holidays or have the same beliefs.
(Mix it up in the kitchen) I​ nviting children into the kitchen while cooking a traditional meal creates a special
time for bonding and an opportunity for cultural conversation. Talking about traditional recipes is an enjoyable and
tasty avenue to teaching children about family heritage. Authentic meals, snacks and treats can help children develop a
bond with their cultural identity, especially when the ingredients are native to a particular heritage. Traditional meals
packed in ​school lunches​ can double as a conversation piece as young children share their culture with their peers at
school.
(Share stories of family history) ​Stories passed down through generations are likely to be peppered with life
lessons, tradition and cultural history. Tales of cultural history can provide a well-rounded view on cultural heritage.
When you help your child explore their family tree, you may find that your child’s heritage is rich and diverse. Take a
step beyond explaining the family tree, and talk with your child about how family history is important to
understanding diversity. Having a better understanding of family can help children be confident in their identity.
Photos are a great tool for parents to take an extra step to provide visuals in helping their children explore the family
tree.
(Explore new cultures) ​There are a variety of ways to encourage acceptance and education of new cultures.
Help children to learn about various cultures by watching foreign movies, listening to cultural music and getting crafty
in the kitchen. Museums are also a great family-fun place to generate excitement about learning other’s cultural
heritage. The world is vast and there are nearly endless customs to explore. Parents can get creative by letting their
children pick a place on the globe and research a new language together. When children are raised to have
well-rounded cultural values, they are more likely to be open and accepting to new cultures they learn about as they
grow into adults.

[ ​https://www.italki.com/entry/366600​ ]
Some people think that young people should follow traditions from their society; other people think that young
people should be free to behave as individuals. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion​.

People have different views on whether the younger generation should follow traditions or they should be
given the freedom to behave as individuals. Personally I believe this is not an either-or situation. While good traditions
should be passed on and young people should respect these traditions, I believe they should also be allowed to behave
as themselves.

On the one hand, many traditions are worth following. There are many kinds of traditions, from national
traditions such as celebrating the Spring Festival and the Moon Festival in China, to family traditions or even school
traditions. Traditions are often linked to delicious food, arts, bright clothing, family reunion, happiness, cultural
heritage, cultural identity, and so forth. They are what make one nation, one family, or one group of people distinct
from the other. It is important for young people to follow these traditions so as to make sense of their cultural identity,
remember where they are from and have a sense of belonging.

On the other hand, I also believe that young people should be allowed to behave as themselves and be
different. Young people are at their most energetic and creative age, and they are in the process of finding out who
they are. Therefore, instead being asked to watch their every step and follow the code of traditions, they should be
encouraged to express themselves freely, choose their own paths, visit different parts of the world and learn new
things. In this way, young people can explore and develop their true potential. In fact, many innovations take place
because some young people are not satisfied by simply following traditions.

In conclusion, I believe that many traditions should be kept and followed, but at the same time, young people
should have the right to behave as themselves while they are still searching for their own personal identity.