Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[jasonlulu_2000]

Standing in the driveway, I watched my grown children drive off into the distance. I looked down the road until I could no longer see their vehicles.
�They live too far away from me,� I said to myself.�When did they break away and become parents of small children? Shouldn't that be me?�

Is " break away" naturally used in the underlined part?
Can we use break away (from the family) to express the meaning of leaving the family and forming a new one?

PS: Does "Shouldn't" make sense in the next sentence?

Thanks!

Jason

[IanT]

"Break away" seems quite natural here. The term gives the impression of quite a sudden departure, which it may not have been, but it seems that way to the speaker because he/she has only just noticed it properly.

It might not normally be used of family changes unless they were quite sudden or a bit difficult. Often used for political groups leaving the main party.

"Shouldn't" does make sense, because the speaker is so accustomed to being the parent that their children being the parent "instead" doesn't seem right yet.

Hope helps,
Ian
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