Stay Involved in Their Education
When it comes to education, getting involved in the early years of your child’s school activities is vital to create a lasting bond that will transcend to the adult years of your son or daughter. Most African parents, especially fathers are somewhat regarded as distant when it comes to the early childhood development of their children. However, raising a child in the US requires constant and vigilant involvement in the studies of your child. Being too involved is not a bad thing sine a child needs constant reassuring that their parents are about their welfare. Being always involved in your child’s school activities builds trust and openness within the family which is a learning avenue for both parents and children.
For instance, African American families are encouraged to inquire about their child’s progress in school at least every two months, attend regular Parent Teacher Association (PTA) meetings, and help out in their child’s class projects. Parents are also encouraged to read aloud to their children before they formally begin attending school and assess their image and emotional management. This is because, away from the home environment, children may be exposed to bullying and racial prejudice and they need to be prepared on how to appropriately respond to these kinds of aggression. Discrimination is based on both gender and race and African Americans are more prone to face this discrimination in the hands of law enforcement, school and even at work. Being vigilant and having a cool temperament in a world with increasing race relations will help young colored children and adults to navigate and understand societies that greet them with hostility, fear and contempt all over the world.
Planning for the Cost of College
Finally, educating your child in the United States can be costly especially when they get to college. A New York Times article as early as 1875 found out that the cost of higher education almost doubled for every generation (The New York Times, 1875). Today, the United States spends more on college than almost any other country. This includes individual family contributions, government loans and scholarships. Americans spend $30,000 per student annually, twice as much as the average developed country. This is because in global rankings, America spends the highest in student-welfare services like housing, meals, health care and transport. American students are also more likely to live away from home thus justifying the high prices.
However, scholarships for sports activities are numerous and excelling students in sports can get handsome cutbacks in their school fees. For immigrant families, this is a welcome way of cutting back on hefty college fees if the child is gifted in extracurricular activities like football, chess, or a budding physicist.
Although cultures may clash as you try to raise your child in African ideals while embracing the values of the Western world, the primary goal of parenting is to instill beliefs, ideas and competencies that are ideal for them to appropriately function in their immediate society. It is important to understand and appreciate your historical and psychological contexts that influence family practices by adopting and promoting culturally relevant positive parenting approaches. Therefore, it is imperative you learn from your children by being involved in their lives regularly. Moreover, find forums like Afrikagora where you can meet with other diaspora parents and share your experiences on raising children in the United States. You will gain more understanding and invaluable insights on parenting in the United States through reading relevant materials, engaging with other parents and being part of Afrikagora.
Afrikagora Magazine
Works Cited
Denene, M. (2017). My Brown Baby: On the Joys and Challenges of Raising African American Children. amazon.
PEW Research centre. (2015, Dec 17). Parenting In America:Outlook, worries, aspirations are strongly linked to financial situation. Retrieved from PEW Research centre: Social & Demographic Trends: https://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2015/12/17/parenting-in-america/
Steinmetz, J. (2016, oct 13). Immigrant Parents Face Challenges in Raising Children in America. Retrieved from Karibu News: https://thekaribunews.com/2016/10/13/immigrant-parents-face-challenges-in-raising-children-in-america/
