There are many problems that parents face today. It is sometimes difficult to deal with children who forget very fast. What a parent has instructed the children to do is sometimes not done. On the other hand, a parent may instruct a child not to do certain things but the child goes on to do the same things. This does not mean that most children are defiant but it means that they tend to forget instructions quickly. At the same time, some children tend to do what they are instructed not to do with views of exploration. These are common problems that most parents around the world have to deal with. However, the problems that this piece of work tries to analyze are related to race.
A black child who is born in a country in which the majority of people are whites may have many questions to ask the parents. This happens more in countries where racial and other forms of discrimination is high. For example, a black child might ask any of the parents to explain the reason why the child’s skin is black while other children have white skin colors. Most parents may find it very difficult to answer a question like this especially if the child is younger than ten years old. Some parents would simply say, “Where we came from, people are black and we are now living in land of the whites.” This kind of answer might not solve the problem because the child may want to know the reason why they had to leave their country and live in a white man’s country. If the child is old enough, the parents can try to explain that they are of African origin but they are no longer Africans. For example, parents may tell the children that they are African-Americans, which means that they are Americans but with African origin.
The matter gets more complicated if one of the parents is a white and the other one is a black. The parents should have mutual cooperation in bringing up the children but this might not be the case parents are from different countries. For example, if a child has an American mother who is a white and an African father, the child will be very comfortable if the parents are living together. The child will be able to understand why she/he has a different color, which is neither black nor white. However, if for one reason or another the marriage has to break up and the father return to Africa, the mother will have a very rough time explaining the origin of the child.
In a society where white children see themselves as superior than black children, parents find it very difficult to let their black children feel free and live without stress. Some parents try their best in explaining to their black children that all human beings are equal and the difference is only in the skin color. Children who are old enough may easily understand their color and accept that they are similar to other children but with different skin colors. On the other hand, younger children tend to believe what others say about them and making them change their minds may not be easy. I think parents regardless of color, beliefs and origin have a role to play in bringing up children in an environment free from discrimination of any form by educating them to respect one another and live in peace.