Subject: RE: lessons - in mothering, in highschool historical perspectives, in..
Date: Mon, 27 Apr 1998 08:41:10 -0400


That is true.  When I do pause to consider the values taught me by my
mother(and father), I am amazed that I have been living many of them,
being natural to me as breathing!  Aiko

>-----Original Message-----
>From:	Cyberdiva [SMTP:radhik-AT-bgnet.bgsu.edu]
>Sent:	Friday, April 24, 1998 12:26 PM
>To:	'sa-cyborgs-AT-lists.village.Virginia.EDU'
>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
>
>
>_______________________________________
>