Can a Fork Love a Spoon? (Multiracial Families.)

[seoulsearch]

Hello Everyone,

Being a child of a unique multiracial family myself (I am a Korean who was raised by white parents), I am especially grieved when I see prejudice towards biracial families (which, unfortunately, is still a very hot topic in the area where I live.)

Some of my friends have gorgeous multiracial children and nothing makes me more upset than to see some of the ignorant attitudes people express towards them.

I feel very blessed to have diverse people in my life: my best girl friend has fiery red hair and is from a native German family, and my best guy friend is black (and who teasingly loves to call me "the white girl.")

I have often wondered what is the best way to teach kids about God's wonderful diversity in people and how to handle it if they are the victims of racism. As a child, I simply held it all in (becoming very angry and bitter in the process), while my Korean brother has developed the quickest wit of anyone I know (when other kids in school would say, in a menacing way, "Are you Chinese? Are you Japanese?" he would calmly turn to them and reply, "Well, actually, I'm Swedish, can't you tell?")

I know that if I have children of my own, I am going to use examples such as a "spork" (for any of you out there who may not have heard of one, a spork is a hybrid combination of a spoon and a fork.) I have often made jokes about whether the forks will tell the spork,"Oh, you're not pointed enough to fit in with us," and if the spoons would say, "Sorry, you're way too pointed to be associated with us", because this is what happens to some of my friends' kids.

What have your experiences been with or as part of multiracial families and how do you teach your children to handle the criticism in a Godly way?

 

[seoulsearch]

Sorry everyone, I also meant to say that I want to invite absolutely everyone's thoughts on this topic... not just those in multiracial families... THANKS!

 

[Dread_Zeppelin]

I think that's a cute idea, the spork thing. My best friend is a white-filipino mix, and honestly growing up I never even thought about her being different than me. I think the best way to breed out prejudice is to encourage children of all races to become friends. Besides which she's beautiful! Who wants to make fun of that?

 

[Beeb0]

My girlfriend is multiracial (black & white) & she has witnessed alot of racism throughout her life, especially growing up around our small southern town in Georgia.

 

[Matthew]

I think the best way to breed out prejudice is to encourage children of all races to become friends.

I agree with that completely, it's one of the things that makes adoption more appealing to me, the oppourtunity to bring together children of different backgrounds and learn about them myself, I think all people need to be educated about this kind of thing as they are growing up so they aren't so easily swayed by narrow minded attiitudes when they are adults.

I don't think there is a specific way of dealing with a child suffering racist abuse, each child might react slightly different and so it's just a case of dealing with it case by case, but I think as long as the foundation of all teaching is tolerance and an open mind then most kids will grow to have a healthy attitude, rather than a negative one.

Like a lot of things when growing up, the negative things are sometimes the ones that contribute most to our development and in the long run can be turned to a greater good, as long as the right support is in place, a loving family will go a long way.

 

[FixYourWeave]

I like sporks

 

[tryingtofindhim]

My mom is mixed black and white but she looks white so people make fun of her, and I'm adopted and people are like why is your mom white and you're blac. It quite fustrating.

 

[secretofyah]

people should not be discriminated against in a negative way because of their ethnicity but you might consider that we all discriminate in some form or fashion. when we choose not to associate with a particular person or group or refuse to pick up a hitchhiker etc. sometimes we discriminate because wisdom tells us to sometimes because foolishness tells us to but discrimination is an important part of our makeup. this is how we judge between good and evil and make the necessary decisions whether good or bad. this last thought on the matter; certain romantic or intimate relationships are not condoned by or ordained by our Heavenly Father. just because 2 people love each other doesnt mean they are blessed to be married to each other

 

[carpetmanswife]

Unfortunately racism is still alive and well , honestly its something i have never really understood. I have mixed *black and white* children in my family ...ive heard some awful comments seen the looks and watched as the children ask questions with great despair as to why they are "different" . Yes we still have a long way to go BUT we have come a long way from where we were , had we not...we wouldnt have a black*mixed* president.

 

[greatkraw]

The big issue with any union is that the more divergent their various backgrounds, the more difficulties they will have.
From a genetic point of view; the more varied the genes, the more powerful the product.

 

[Sharp]

From a genetic point of view; the more varied the genes, the more powerful the product.

I've always wondered, why is that?

 

[greatkraw]

Genetic diversity is a good thing.
The more closely related 2 people are the more they have the same genetic faults and reinforce them.

 

[asamanthinketh]

I THINK IT IS BECOMING LESS OF AN ISSUE IN THIS DAY AND AGE. AND IT ALSO DEPENDS WHERE YOU LIVE, THE COMMON THOUGHTS OF THE PEOPLE. BUT MY EXPERIENCE IS LIMITED. I WOULD SAY CHILDREN ARE RESILENT AND IF THEY DO GET CRITICIZED FOR BEING BIRACIAL THEY WILL OVERCOME. AND YOUR LOVE AS PARENTS WILL SEE THAT THROUGH.

 

[Slepsog4]

We should marry and breed only within our own race. After all there really is only one... the human race. Ethnicity is a stupid way to judge people.

 

[seoulsearch]

I THINK IT IS BECOMING LESS OF AN ISSUE IN THIS DAY AND AGE. AND IT ALSO DEPENDS WHERE YOU LIVE, THE COMMON THOUGHTS OF THE PEOPLE. BUT MY EXPERIENCE IS LIMITED. I WOULD SAY CHILDREN ARE RESILENT AND IF THEY DO GET CRITICIZED FOR BEING BIRACIAL THEY WILL OVERCOME. AND YOUR LOVE AS PARENTS WILL SEE THAT THROUGH.

Unfortunately, it's not as "lessened" of an issue as we wish it would be... A good friend of mine has two gorgeous biracial daughters, but the oldest has now hit the teen years in full swing, and is hanging with the wrong crowd because of acceptance issues.

I live in the northern part of the USA (supposedly, where racism is "less" of an issue than in the south) and my personal opinion is that racism is, unfortunately, alive and thriving.

It's just that society has made it more "socially acceptable" to keep strong feelings masked under the facade of "political correctness."

From my personal experience, whether my own, my friends, or their children--many people don't bother with being polite, and are fairly blatant in showing their hatred outright. I try to pray that God will bless them and change their hearts... but, of course, it is especially heartbreaking--and enraging--to watch a child suffer because of others' ignorance and/or hard-heartedness.

God bless all of you out there who are trying to make a difference!