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Posts Tagged ‘parents’

SOUTH KOREA: What’s In A Name?

March 13, 2012 2 comments

A few weeks ago, the Saturday Sidebar question here on World Moms Blog was about how we chose the name for our children. As I shared, we named our little one after his great-grandfather on my husband’s side, and one of his uncles on my side. Two great men, two great names; it was an easy decision for us.

My husband’s grandfather passed away days before Christmas. As we reflected on the man he was and the life he led, we were so happy that we’d chosen his name for our son.  We did it not only to honor a man we respected very much, but also as a gift to our child. We see it as an honor to share a name with someone who embodied many of the qualities we hope to instill in our son. Read more…

ILLINOIS, USA: Don’t Dread the Routine

January 12, 2012 10 comments

Vacation ends.

Call it the weekend-phenomenon.  Good things seem to wrap up just as they are getting started. It’s the truth, and it hurts, but it wouldn’t be vacation if it went on forever.

Boo.

A friend writes on Facebook:

Every morning during our break, our little boy has woken us up with a long snuggle and a game of “Cars Memory” (or two, or three) in bed. I am desperately going to miss this morning ritual when we go back to our working reality tomorrow. I have decided I want to be a millionaire so that we can all just stay home like this together forever. Any ideas? Read more…

CANADA: Token Brown Kid

December 27, 2011 8 comments

Diversity in human appearance has been one of the most intriguing things that we have all come across. In my house I hate and do not use the term race with my children, because it is so obscured, and demeaning. Instead, I try as best as I can to always speak about people as individuals, rather than their group or nationality…it’s hard work.

Amira has very slanted eyes, Iman looks just like my aunt (but still resembles me) and Rainbow looks more like hubby.

Often random people come up to us and ask, “are those your children?” I say,”yes”, and hope that they will leave it at that, BUT 90 % of the time, they don’t.

The next question is, “are they all yours?” Read more…

INDONESIA: Caring For Your Parents

December 22, 2011 12 comments

These past few months have been really stressful in this household. Yes, I live with my parents and my two younger brothers. It’s considered common, here, in Indonesia, for children to remain living with their parents until they get married – or in my case, until they get divorced and move back home.

Late October my father fell ill due to twenty-something years of dealing with Type 2 Diabetes. He got so sick from gangrene on his left foot that he had to fly back to Jakarta because he didn’t want to have his surgery in Zambia alone. It was by a pure miracle he made it back to Jakarta after such a long flight.

We took him to the hospital immediately, and the doctor said surgery was the only way out. Read more…

INDONESIA: Saying I Love You

October 26, 2011 12 comments

Growing up in Indonesia, I don’t really remember hugs, cuddles and the like. Yes, of course, there was the dutiful kiss on the cheek once in a while that felt more like a custom. It is not in our culture to say “I love you.

In their own way, I know my parents love me and my brothers. We, the children, tended to show our love with actions, such as paying respect to our parents, never arguing or talking back and being, pretty much, good kids.

Our upbringing was laden with disciplines ala Dutch style. My parents were stern and

Read more…

MINNESOTA, USA: Kindergarten Entrance Age

September 29, 2011 56 comments

This year I sent two children off to school, but I’m keeping one at home.

Even though Brody just turned three, I’m waiting another year before I enroll him in preschool and two more years after that before Kindergarten- which he will start having just turned six.

Yes, six.

And yes, I’m sure.

In our school district there’s a movement to change the rules, and our views, on the Kindergarten entrance age, and I’m against it. Here’s why. Read more…