For some Hmong teenagers, family is a big influence on the teenager. The family tries to help the teenagers get on their way in life. Most of the time, their friends do, too. They think negatively about the rules at home and think what is the coolest to do and do not care anymore. They become involved in the crowd and gang-related things.
People feel sorry and hurt and sad and sometimes they even get sick.
Some Hmong teenagers help their parents a lot at home and help their parents with translating English to Hmong. Other teenagers are not helpful to their parents because they are not home much. At our Hmong celebration in Winona in 1995, some teenagers danced traditional Hmong dances and others did a street dance. We all felt so proud and we received many compliments. It's not easy to be a Hmong kid.