Date: Fri, 24 Apr 1998 12:26:07 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: RE: lessons - in mothering, in highschool historical perspectives, in..


but perhaps your mother instilled
in you
values
that you
now  live without even
being consciously aware?

		i am at an age now 
			far
	more willing to understand
willing to acknowledge

my mothers' struggles wer/are their own.

not necessarily
"less"
or 
"more".


On Fri, 24 Apr 1998, Anne Joshi-Atlanta wrote:

> But should he necessarily be "ignorant" of his parents' culture?
> Doesn't it behoove the parents to implant the seed of knowledge about
> their "home" culture so that while he learns what it means to be
> "American", he also understands what it means to be "Indian"!  I know
> many children, products of immigrant parents, growing up in a world
> different from that of their parents, yet they know and speak and
> understand the language of their parents and grandparents; they
> participate in the traditions/customs/festivals of "back home"; they
> appreciate the efforts -- great efforts, at great cost -- of their
> parents to instill knowledge of not just a little bit of the first
> generation's lives before their emigration, but of a great deal!
> Sometimes, circumstances arise in which the immigrant parent is unable
> to teach their native language, or to tell them much about their country
> of birth and childhood.  But for those who are able to, often do not or
> give up.  Why shouldn't we encourage our children to look back at OUR
> native lands?  Why should we think this "new land" is better for/instead
> of/superior replacement for/ our lands we left behind?  I commend you,
> Cyberdiva, for questioning and searching and wanting to better your
> perspectives so your son will grow and stretch and flex his outlook.  I
> wish I had had a mother like you!  Take care.
> 
> Aiko Joshi
> gs07aaj-AT-panther.gsu.edu
> 
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From:	Cyberdiva [SMTP:radhik-AT-bgnet.bgsu.edu]
> >Sent:	Friday, April 24, 1998 10:10 AM
> >To:	sa-cyborgs-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu
> >Subject:	lessons - in mothering, in highschool historical perspectives, in..
> >
> >
> >knowing he is learning 
> >about his birth-nation
> >
> >	in a History class
> >	in a UnitedStatesian High School
> >
> >from his accounts,
> >the teacher making efforts to 
> >conscientiously negotiate
> >
> >difference
> >
> >opinions, cultures, biases
> >
> >giving due credit to the struggles faced by the teacher
> >
> >teaching perspectives on History
> >
> >				histories around the world
> >
> >within a "multicultural" class context
> >
> >with these Indian teenagers watching
> >with eager eyes
> >
> >
> >asking to be proud of their
> >
> >roots
> >
> >perhaps
> >
> >ignorant of their parents' culture
> >
> >"backhome"
> >
> >perhaps...
> >
> >		i struggle
> >		the child struggles with my struggle
> >
> >what is my role as mother?
> >
> >to feed , clean and clothe?
> >
> >
> >		i wish i could cop out and say this was
> >
> >so
> >
> >		he knows my dissertation 
> >
> >		is about issues he is discussing/learning
> >
> >in class
> >
> >(but can i translate - can i be less theoretical?
> >can i be accountable to him and his struggles wihtout
> >imposing mine on him?)
> >
> >
> >
> >he assumes my view is biased
> >
> >
> >		he struggles
> >
> >		with my struggle over his struggle
> >
> >
> >i wish it were a simple matter of how to earn your livelihood
> >several years from now
> >
> >the amount of money you can
> >accumulate
> >in your bank account
> >
> >by being a doctor, a programmer, an engineer or a ...
> >
> >
> >i wish that's all i cared about
> >				(I *don't* wish that's all you
> >cared about.)
> >
> >
> >	i am glad to see you struggle.
> >
> >		my identity as your mother does not
> >not
> >		rest on how clean your bathroom is
> >		how clean your room is, or if you are getiing
> >"home-cooked" food or if you dress impeccably or whether 
> >this month you've had that haircut yet.
> >
> >
> >my identity as your mother
> >for
> >me
> >
> >de-
> >
> >pends
> >
> >on planting this seed of intellectual/emotional
> >
> >struggle
> >(doubt, growth - whatever)
> >		i am your mother
> >		this is your curse
> >
> >i am your mother
> >
> >this is my blessing.
> >
> >		think hard, think fair
> >
> >		think complex - feel, feel feel
> >your thought
> >till you hurt all over....
> >
> >(to be contd)
> >
> >
> >_____________________________________
> >
> >Radhika Gajjala
> >
> >http://ernie.bgsu.edu/~radhik
> >
> >
> >_______________________________________
> >
> 

_____________________________________

Radhika Gajjala

http://ernie.bgsu.edu/~radhik


_______________________________________