Hudson is a small community that’s home to couples, elders and growing families. From the outside, Hudson is a beautiful location. There are local shops, restaurants and activities that attract all ages. Neighborhoods surround the town with green lawns, gorgeous architectural exteriors and a dog barking in front yards. The perfect picture- right? What many people don’t see in the interior struggles of our town. From a parent’s perspective and through a child’s eyes, it’s a whole different world.
My mother is a parent in Hudson. Originally, my parents decided on this specific location because of the type of education we would receive. “The quality of the schools was the main reason. Academics are important to consider when choosing where to root your family. Safety was another reason. Hudson is a safe environment for kids. And lastly, the feel of community.”
This is a common response from many adults. From a student’s eyes, senior Ava Fontana agrees. “Hudson has always provided a safe environment for me and my siblings.” However, Hudson has a lingering pressure on students and their academic performance.
I asked Fontana if she felt any academic pressures, and clearly she has. “Yes, as a senior there’s a standard of not only going to college after high school, but getting into what people consider a good school.” Although Hudson may hold as one of the top schools in the state, the community feels a suffocating pressure to succeed a certain way.
On the contrary, I asked my mother about some of the disadvantages of being a parent in Hudson. As a teen living here, I never really thought to ask what it’s like for another generations.
Surprisingly, some of the same concerns can be seen here, too. “Stereotypes. It’s concerning how surrounding communities view Hudson. I feel like you have to live up to certain expectations to live in Hudson. I don’t think the kids have a good perspective of the world outside of this town.”
Commonly, many people around town agree with this. There is a Hudson “Bubble.” As kids, we are very sheltered from real world experiences. Although we are fortunate enough to live here, there are some challenges we need to face and deal with throughout our lives that we may not see here. Adding on to the Hudson Bubble, Fontana states how quick word travels, whether it’s positive or negative news. This has caused her to become more of a private closed off person. Many families and kids face prejudice of their values and ways of life due to gossip around town.
Additionally, there are unspoken social expectations that many kids and families face in Hudson. From a teen’s perspective, Fontana explains. “Yes. I feel like everyone in Hudson is expected to play a sport and have a large friend group. But people get judged for who they hang out with.” This is also applicable to parents, as well. Therefore, I asked my mother if she felt that way for her kids. “Sure, to feel accepted you have to act a certain way, dress a certain way, have a certain amount of money and have specific views. It’s difficult for that child to feel included if not.”
This requirement produces a generational cycle. If the parents have to live up to certain standards, they automatically put those values in their children.
To challenge that idea, I asked my mother how Hudson has affected her parenting style: “It has reinforced our traditional values and helped us realize how important it is to maintain those values.” To define traditional, it means having rules and boundaries/ work ethic similar to what she had growing up. She also claims that a lot of that is lost in today’s parenting. To dissect this deeper, I asked her what she notices about other parenting styles around town.
“Non-traditional, very lenient. The kids run the show. I don’t see the values being replaced very well.”
Personally, I can agree with this statement. My family enforces family dinners, quality time, boundaries and rules. Compared to some of my friend’s families, that is looked down upon. A lot of kids around town are allowed to do whatever they want and don’t face consequences.
Overall, Hudson offers a very sheltered lifestyle. There are many positives and negatives to living in this town. There’s a great community aspect and academic system that provides stability. Unfortunately this is faded by the inner issues coursing through the lives of the individuals living in this town.
Finally, I asked my mother if she wished she had grown up in Hudson. Her response was mixed. “I would like to have grown up here as a kid due to the academic preparations Hudson provides, but I would not like to grow up here with the social aspects of this community and the pressure put on kids by other kids.”
Although Hudson may be a white picket fence-lifestyle from the outside, there’s a lot more behind the scenes than what meets the eye.
