Expectations Can Be Burden

People have expectations in themselves, but most of the time, they have expectations in others as well. I believe that expectation comes from the trust and hope one have in that person, and it does not have a negative intention. However, depending on the way of expressing and level of expectation, it may become burden.

The best, universal example is the expectation parents have in their children. Nowadays it is becoming more frequent to hear kids breaking down because of the unbearable pressure from parents’ expectations. I am sure that every parent has expectation in his or her child. From the fantasies of what the child will be like when it’s just a foetus, to the dream of a report card with straight-As at the end of each term, parents hope all the best to their children and wish the juniors will turn out perfectly just as they want them to be. Though it’s not the parents’ intention, expectations often transform into invisible pressure on their children, adding a burden to them. In many cases, the child is too afraid and not willing to let the parent down, thus putting on yet another layer of pressure on. Even worse, some become too fragile when things are not perfect because they cannot bear failure.

Expectation, in a way, develops into a common problem in the society, where it wasn’t as much as a problem in the old days. In this era of luxury, high technology, and countless information, the standard of life is higher. Democracy, the idea of equality, makes people share privileges like education in a way that it was impossible in the past. When being educated, which used to be considered as a superb quality, becomes such a normal, general thing, people need more to standout from the crowd. Competition is everywhere. Besides doing well on academics, kids nowadays are expected to succeed in many aspects such as music, arts, sports, language, etc. At some point, too many extra-curricular activities will only make them too busy to enjoy. Also, expectations of...