what would you have done differently?

[kimpossible]

This is similar to the Advice for Parents thread pinned above, but in hindsight with an adult's understanding of life and future parenting - what would you have done differently in the context of your upbringing and cultural connection? It can be either your own decisions or your parents.

[rice cracker]

Personally, I would have liked to learn Korean and Korean history, as well as more culture than I did. I'm pretty American right now in what I know, with a sprinkling of knowledge about the other half. Most of what I know I learned in Korean culture class in the 5th grade. Of course, when I was young, it probably would have been pretty hard to thoroughly teach me all of that, so I can't blame anyone.

My kids will be mixed, I think I'll just raise them with awareness that they are mixed, and start out with telling them a variety of folktales from each culture, and when they're old enough, take them to museums, on trips, and other various eductional things that they'll probably hate me for when they get older.

[Filiprish]

Seriously, I would have A LOT more people to relate to if I know how to speak Tagalog. I know loads about Filipino culture, so I'm not missing that. I wish my mom taught me. She wanted me to be as "white" as possible so I could go far in life. Never did she think that I would feel alienated. I told her that she should've taught me and she agrees that it would've been best. I'm not mad at her. I do plan on studying Tagalog. I have a coursebook. I haven't found the time to study yet, though. I'll probably learn Spanish before I learn Tagalog b/c it'll benefit my career. I have a lot of Hispanic friends whose parents taught them Spanish (bastards!) , so it'll be cool for us to have a common tongue. Also, the Spanish will also help learn Tagalog, so there's a synergy there. Yeah, I wish knew how to speak Tagalog.

[rice cracker]

Yeah, language is key.

[LaiSteve66]

Learn Vietnamese from my friends next door instead of trying at home where my mom could interfere.

[BeTheReds]

I don't think I would have done anything differently because the circumstances are not under my control and they never were. I do wish my parents had raised me in Korea for part of my childhood, but I have few complaints about the way things turned out.

[sweetmilk]

This is similar to the Advice for Parents thread pinned above, but in hindsight with an adult's understanding of life and future parenting - what would you have done differently in the context of your upbringing and cultural connection? It can be either your own decisions or your parents.

I wish my mom hadn't felt the need to pressure me to be "white". I don't think she ever thought I was inferior, but when people asked me what I was, she always told me to tell them "white", and filled out all my forms that way. When I hit middle school and I told her I was tired of people calling me a liar, she tried to make me pass for Mexican, so I would "fit in", but I'm not even Latina, not a drop. I guess it took me a long time to figure out that "mixed race" was what I am, and I didn't have to pick one of my ethnicities to tell people.

I guess I also wish my dad hadn't been deported and I could have been raised with more of my non-white culture, because I never, ever really felt white.

[professorfrink]

I wish my mom hadn't felt the need to pressure me to be "white". I don't think she ever thought I was inferior, but when people asked me what I was, she always told me to tell them "white", and filled out all my forms that way. When I hit middle school and I told her I was tired of people calling me a liar, she tried to make me pass for Mexican, so I would "fit in", but I'm not even Latina, not a drop. I guess it took me a long time to figure out that "mixed race" was what I am, and I didn't have to pick one of my ethnicities to tell people.

I guess I also wish my dad hadn't been deported and I could have been raised with more of my non-white culture, because I never, ever really felt white.

Geez, I was going to be all 'My mom sucks cuz she never forced me to stay in Japanese school', but deportation takes the cake.

Love,
prof. frink