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the american family in the american family the husband and wife usually share important decision making. when the children are old enough, they take part_________. foreigners are often surprised by the permissiveness of american parents. the old rule that children should be seen and not heard is rarely_________, and children are often allowed to do what they wish without strict parental_________. the father seldom expects his children to obey him_________ question, and children are encouraged to be independent_________ an early age. some people believe that american parents carry this freedom_________ far. others think that a strong father image would not_________ the american values of equality and independence. because americans emphasize the importance of independence, young people are expected to break_________ their parental families by the time they have_________ their late teens or early twenties. , not to do so is often regarded as a failure, a kind of weak dependence. this pattern of independence often results in serious_________ for the aging parents of a small family. the average american is expected to live the age of 70. the job-retirement age is _________ 65. the children have left home, married, and_________ their own households. at least 20 percent of all people over 65 do not have enough retirement incomes. _________ the major problem of many elderly couples is not economic. they feel useless and lonely with neither an occupation nor a close family group. | 
