Here's a photo of them eating breakfast, already dressed in their gorgeous patterned silk dresses. I just wonder...how long will they WANT to dress "Chinese" for Chinese New Year? When does their pride in their birthplace, which is strong now, start to wane after the inevitable assault of peer-pressure and not wanting to appear "different."
Yesterday, Claire told me that one of her friends said that she had a "Chinese accent." Part of me has to laugh - the child came here at nine months and her first spoken language was English. But another part of me is angry that the other girl seemed to want to make Claire feel "different" - by virtue only of her Asian features.
What's in store for the girls in the years to come? How do I keep them feeling proud of being China born? I routinely emphasize to them their rich history and how China was civilized long before most other places on earth. Add to that the resilience of its people and all that they have endured during the last century. And yet, I suspect those facts will pale in comparison to wanting to just be like all the other kids - for a while.
So, I guess my goal is to keep instilling the pride and hope it comes out intact on the other end of their childhood.
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