上有老、下有小，在五六十年代是幸福而艰难的家庭；可在80 年代以后，却是既幸福，而又轻松的家庭了。道理很简单：如今小的只生一胎，老的一般都享受退(离)休待遇了。尽管如此，上有老下有小的一代人始终存在。这一代，英语有一个很简便的表达法--- the sandwich generation：

1. Some women caring for elderly parents are members of the "sandwich generation , " wedged between the competing, often overwhelming needs of young children and sick parents.
在美国，据说这上有老、下有小的一代，其人数且有上升的趋势：

2. Soon this group will become much larger, as women who delayed child-rearing—hoping they could juggle a career, a child and a relationship at the same time -- find that parent care is yet another part of the equation.
                                                                   —ibid.
笔者至今尚未发现一个比“sandwich generation”更合适的，用来译“上有老下有小的一代”的英语词语，读者如有发现请随时赐教。