middle dog. It's the most ridiculous
thing!"
So how does Cohen interact with
her six pets? Treats them like chil-
dren, of course.
"I make my cats talk to my hus-
band," she says. "He thinks I'm
annoying. And I am."
"My husband calls me 'Janet Jr.,"'
says 26-year-old Lynne Newman (her
mother's name is Janet). "One time,
we were driving downtown, and my
mother was getting anxious because
she didn't know where she was going.
I said to [husband] David, 'See where
I get it from?'"
But not all young adults inherit
their parents' neurotic behaviors.
Some even like the similarities.
"Growing up, I always said I'd love
A
to be like my mom," says Amy
Grosinger, 26. "She's independent
and strong. I'd love to follow in her
footsteps.
"My parents are both very giving
people," says 27-year-old Jeff
_
Dwoskin. "And they're very coura-
geous. They face adversity well and
come out strong. I'd be lucky to be
0, like my parents."
"My Dad used to flap his hands
and run through airports," laughs
Craig Pines, 34. "He'd throw change
out the window when he was driving,
for shock value. I haven't lived. up to
his kookiness. But I'm hoping to.
According to Dr. Jerald Bachman,
senior research scientist at the
Institute for Social Research at the
Or University of Michigan in Ann
Arbor, parents and children (ages 14
through 18) often share the same
ideas when it comes to what values
are important in life.
"On the big issues, they tend to
agree," says Bachman. "However,
there is less similarity in views on
how to spend leisure time or how to
spend money."
"With religion, or anything else,
there's a natural period of question-
ing," explains licensed psychologist
and co-founder of The Relationship
Institute in Royal Oak, Dr. Joe
Bavonese. "If parents make it obliga-
tory, it will push people away. If they
respect the natural process, they can
create new models.
"I think we emulate what we see
• in our homes," says Rabbi Michael
Moskowitz, 29. "If celebrating the
holidays is important to the family,
we see the kids following it, too."
"What I used to dread, I now vol-
unteer for," says Debbie McElroy, 32.
"I wasn't crazy about being waked up

on Saturday mornings to go to syna-
gogue. Now I ask my mom to get me
a ticket for High Holiday services."
Growing up, McElroy remembers
regular Friday night dinners. "And
there were times when it got in the
way of my plans with friends."
Now that she's married and has a

son, McElroy enjoys family dinner
time. "And on Shabbos we all go to
my parents' house."
For better or worse, most of us
find a little — and in some cases, a
lot — of our parents in
ourselves.
Does that mean I'll

eventually give up my Gang Gai
chicken for sour cream and peaches?
Will I start watching "Matlock"
reruns instead of my beloved "ER"?
Never!
But that doesn't mean I won't
fall asleep before my show is
over. ❑

"

"

"

.

12/26
1997

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