In the traditional Vietnamese culture, decisions regarding career choice would be made for children by their elders based on the needs of the clan. For many, this would mean continuing whatever employment was followed by the parents, and there would be no question that this was the expectation for the children.

As immigrants to countries with Western cultures, this family-oriented pattern of making decisions inevitably comes into conflict with the Western emphasis on the value of the individual and the rights of individuals to make decisions for themselves. This type of cultural conflict and period of adjustment happens any time very different cultural backgrounds find themselves in close contact.

Australian-Vietnamese parents and their children will need to negotiate for their particular situations and relationships. Finding a balance between wanting to respect and preserve the traditions of the past and recognizing the patterns of the new surroundings is never easy.