Raising Indian kids in US is quite challenging. Our Indian heritage is so rich and our children can benefit from its richness, but the influence of western culture is powerful- though not necessarily bad. Raising kids in two cultures, therefore, becomes more of a balancing act so that the kids can benefit from these two very distinct influences. I strongly feel that no matter where you bring up your kids, everything rests in the hands of parents. Be a friend to your child and your child will automatically start confiding in you, teach you child the importance of integrity, generosity and fairness - and you shall see how your child blossoms into a confident, well adjusted adult who loves, obeys and respects you. Having said that, it becomes equally important for parents to follow the same so that the child sees us as role models.
The kids need to understand the value of Indian values and this itself is a very difficult task as what we considered "Indian" is also changing. What worked for our parents or grandparents may not necessarily work here. There is a new term that has emerged recently which is referred to as "cultural parenting" which goes much beyond teaching the kids our cultural heritage. It is more about building bridges so that our future generation can effectively cross the boundaries of different cultures and become happy and healthy members of both.
As of now, we are doing our bit to teach Anvesha about morning/ evening prayers ( Hey Prabhu, mujhe achchi buddhi dena )We go for regular temple visits with her. At home she understands that the little corner we have is dedicated for praying and joins her hands together in front of the idols as a mark of respect. She rings the ghanti and bows her head as I put tikka on her forehead :) These days she is enjoying 'Amar Chitra Katha' books that my parents sent from India. She's not at an age where she understands the stories, but this is just our way of getting her acquainted with the Indian heritage. Slowly as time will pass by, this will get embarked in her mind. I am sure we would have done all of this and more if we were in India..... its just that we need to go an extra mile here in the US.
The kids need to understand the value of Indian values and this itself is a very difficult task as what we considered "Indian" is also changing. What worked for our parents or grandparents may not necessarily work here. There is a new term that has emerged recently which is referred to as "cultural parenting" which goes much beyond teaching the kids our cultural heritage. It is more about building bridges so that our future generation can effectively cross the boundaries of different cultures and become happy and healthy members of both.
As of now, we are doing our bit to teach Anvesha about morning/ evening prayers ( Hey Prabhu, mujhe achchi buddhi dena )We go for regular temple visits with her. At home she understands that the little corner we have is dedicated for praying and joins her hands together in front of the idols as a mark of respect. She rings the ghanti and bows her head as I put tikka on her forehead :) These days she is enjoying 'Amar Chitra Katha' books that my parents sent from India. She's not at an age where she understands the stories, but this is just our way of getting her acquainted with the Indian heritage. Slowly as time will pass by, this will get embarked in her mind. I am sure we would have done all of this and more if we were in India..... its just that we need to go an extra mile here in the US.
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