Being a Parent to Children of Mixed Heritage

 

When I read The Bill of Rights for people of Mixed Heritage My heart started beating faster, my eyes got teary, and I suddenly had a huge knot in my throat. As much as i’d like to say being a parent of mixed heritage kids is easy, it’s not. There are many amazing days but our lives aren’t perfect and neither are the people that surround our family. 

Learning to teach my kids to be proud is easier said than done. I’m human and my emotions show thru, a lot more often than i’d like them to when i’m upset. I’m an overprotective mama when it comes to my children and what my family stands for. 

When I read The Bill of Rights for People of Mixed Heritage a part of me cheered and the other half felt sad for even having to state what should be obvious. 

These next 3 lines from The Bill of Rights for People of Mixed Heritage helped me so much.  Read why these words are important to me and let me know if you can relate.

I have the right not to be responsible for people’s discomfort with my physical or ethnic ambiguity. 

As a parent this is the hardest thing. I take things personal because my kids are a product of love of the hubs and I. But I have to be strong for them! I have to be the one to teach them that how other people feel is not our business it’s truly an issue for them. We are NOT responsible for their discomfort based on who we are as a family or who my kids are as individuals. 

I have the right to identify myself differently than how my parents identify me. 

This statement is so important. I want my children to identify as whatever or whoever they want. My only push is to guide them, give them information and of course positive identity in all I share! As a parent who has identified her children as Blackxican, I’ve learned to take criticism by others who questioned my decision as a parent. I believe that we should be the ones to help our children discover who they want to identify with. 

I have the right to change my identity over my lifetime–and more than once. 

My kids will grow up and become their own individuals that is our goal happy healthy humans! They will go thru different things in life and whatever makes them feel great about themselves and who they are is important to me. I want them to always be proud of who they are and if they feel the need to change identity a million times to feel happy so be it! This is something I must express over and over to my children because I know our world will challenge them. They must learn to be secure in knowing they can change who they are because that is their right! 

I encourage all parents of Mixed Heritage kids to read The Bill of Rights of People of Mixed Heritage Poem by Dr. Maria Root. Check out other great resources on her site. Thank you to our GUBfriend Jalisa for introducing us to this resource and stay tuned tomorrow for a throwback GUB like US update from our her! We are excited to share where she’s been and how things are going for her! 

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