My Family Culture

          For my simulation exercise, the three items I choose to take with me to a foreign country are: a picture of my childhood family; a picture of my mother’s childhood family and a picture of my dad’s childhood family.

Assuming that my current family is with me in this new place, I would explain to others like the immigrant children did in the article entitled “How Immigrant Children Enlightened Their Teachers with a Camera” that these pictures are my mother’s childhood family, my father’s childhood family and my mom, my dad and my sisters and brothers. I would then explain the rules my mother set for us to follow and why. I would also explain that my mother was in charge of the family unit and my dad always stood behind her in a kind and gentle way.  I would also share our birthday and graduation celebrations and how my mom would cook a big one pot dinner and everybody—my aunts, uncles and cousins would come over to celebrate during those times. I would also share how my mom would make a covered dish and take it to her friends and family’s house in times of weddings, graduations, newborn babies, christening celebration and they would laugh and dance together. During difficult times, my mother would also cook and take a covered pot over to friends and family’s house and they would cry and hug together.  On holidays, we would all rotate the cookout location. There was always music, food and fun. I would also talk about my sisters and brothers and how we got in trouble together and the things my mother did to compensate for a friend or families mishap. I know I would have so much to share—who my siblings and I look like; how many children we each have; how many children we each have; who they look like and what they are doing in life.

If I could only take one picture however, I would choose my mom’s childhood family because I for some reason still hold her so close to my heart. She was a loving, caring person who worked tireelessly to  take care of her family after she and my father divorced. Like a momma bear, she left no stone unturned ad she left a wonderful model of self-respect for her daughters to follow.  I’ve learned that a family unit can be large or small—the size doesn’t really matter. The fact is the family unit is what sets the foundation for its individual members and no matter how different we all are, we all need our family to affirm us and teach us how to grow into productive citizens in the world. I’ve also learned that a family unit can have various types of leaders at the helm – there could be a heterosexual male and female; a single mom or dad; a gay or lesbian couple or single parent, etc. but,  all families have rules, roles, boundaries, hierarchy, climate and equilibrium (Christian, 2008).  

References

Christian, L. G. (2006). Understanding families: Applying family systems theory to early

     childhood practice. Young Children, 61(1), 12–20.

Keat, J. B., Strickland, M. J., & Marinak, B. A. (2009). Child voice: How immigrant

      children enlightened  their  teachers with a camera. Early Childhood Education

      Journal, 37(1), 13–21.