The reading discussion I led regarding the diversity of American families was particularly interesting and striking for me because it allowed me to realize that there are many American families that are similar to mine. The first passage, “Elders in Southeast Asian Refugee Families,” discusses the unique experiences that elderly Southeast Asian refugees experience living in America. It describes the struggles these elders face when living with young family members who assimilate into American culture rather quickly. The work also explains how older refugees are more dependent on their children and grandchildren rather than the reverse. These elders no longer have financial support to provide their offspring in the form of land or material goods in their homelands. This passage is relatable to me because my grandmothers are a part of this cohort. I constantly witness how their opinions and mindsets about approaching life differ from my cousins and me. Often, the advice they give is very traditional and difficult to follow within American culture. I have learned to appreciate their ideas and learn where their thoughts originate from. However, this does bring up moments of conflict in which we disagree about certain opinions. Moreover, I agree that I do turn to my elders to learn more about my heritage and identity.
The next passage was also relatable as, “Grandmother Involvement in Child Caregiving in an Urban Community,” observes the rates at which grandmothers co-reside and stay involved in parenting their grandchildren. Similar to most families in this study, I also grew up with a single-parent household including my mother and grandmother. I believe that this environment was most feasible for us as my mother was our household’s source of income and my grandmother took responsibility over household duties as I attended school. Reading these works made me feel as if I wasn’t alone and that many others have the same experiences I did growing up.
The next passage was also relatable as, “Grandmother Involvement in Child Caregiving in an Urban Community,” observes the rates at which grandmothers co-reside and stay involved in parenting their grandchildren. Similar to most families in this study, I also grew up with a single-parent household including my mother and grandmother. I believe that this environment was most feasible for us as my mother was our household’s source of income and my grandmother took responsibility over household duties as I attended school. Reading these works made me feel as if I wasn’t alone and that many others have the same experiences I did growing up.