My, people forgive me. I’ve been
AWOL so long, I started questioning if I really even had a blog, or it was a
figment of my imagination?! So please permit me to say belatedly, Merry Christmas,
and Happy New Year! So many other blogs committed to the New Year resolutions, being
a better you and all that, so what say you, we just skip all that and get right
into the gist? The way I reckon it, you’re going to do what you’re going to do
anyways. One more motivational speech from me just might not do anything else!
LOL!
So … last evening, am enjoying
dinner, and its conversation with my 6 going on 7 all the way to 70 year old
son. Honestly sometimes I wish I could go Dr. Hyde on him, and literally
investigate his grey matter. The boy is a hoot! This evening, he is telling me
about school, and then suddenly bursts out. He’s never getting married. He’s just
going to save the world and then be by himself (My son is determined to be a
Hero). I ask him, “Won’t you be lonely?” He goes “You’re not”. “That’s because
I’ve got you to chat with, and chill with.” I respond. The conversation
continues with me doing that thing that mothers do best. You know, the one
where we speak intelligently, while our minds are actively working over some
other thought process.
The social strata of the family
unit has greatly changed; either by choice, chance or unforeseen circumstances.
Increasingly, there are more kids like mine, who come from homes like ours. Does
society and especially its educational system, adapt to reflect this change? For
example in social studies, at school, how is he taught to relate his reality to
the definition of a family?
I remember my baby sister as a
child bringing home an exam script, with a near perfect score. The question had
asked “Who takes care of the home?” Her
response of “Sister” which was quite correct in her case, cost her the perfect
score. Having lost our mom, while she was still a baby, she had only grown up
to know her sisters as the home and care givers.
I slowly chew my dinner, listen
to my son’s chatter, as I process the thought – “Are schools and their
curriculums going to train our children by rote, or are they going to train
them FOR LIFE?” Are schools going to make liars of parents, who portray a
different reality than the laid down rules of life etiquette? Are children
going to grow up defensive to a world who makes them believe their
understanding about what life is, is wrong?
Well I can’t speak for society or
the school system. I can only do my best to support my son be the Hero he will
be, inspite of any differences.
One more day, in the life of a
strong, black mother!
