Micro-aggressions

This week I was talking to a co-worker about my mom, who we are looking to move into an assisted living senior building or other such facility. The person I was talking to is of another ethnic group. As we talked about my mom the second I mentioned an assisted living or senior  home her body language shifted slightly and she said "Are you sure you want do do that, My mom would come live with me if she couldn't be on her own anymore". I felt that she was judging me and something was wrong with my family because none of my siblings are offering to take her in and care for her.

Since reading this week about micro-aggressions and biases, I felt more comfortable about telling her that I understood that different families have different cultural values and believes on to best support aging parents, and what is right for my mom, may not be right for hers or for my in-laws.  Since studying Micro-aggressions I have been much more aware of how I treat others and take an additional second before I say something that might be judgemental or biased against someone.

Discussion about Culture

This week  I attended a diversity training and had a great conversation about culture and diversity with several of my colleagues. For many culture was described as the aspects of their personalities that make them unique. There was a general consensus that culture goes beyond race and ethnicity,  and can be described as the customs and values that unite a group of individuals.

Some of the aspects that were discussed as part of culture were religion, family values, respect for elders, views on parenting, education, the way we dress, food preferences, and political affiliations. Then we looked at the iceberg model of culture.

This led to more discussion of culture, and how some did not realize how we look at and view individuals with special needs. One person shared how he was always told that he needed to be tough and not to cry when he was hurt. He said that this was how it was for all of the boys in his family. He struggled when he had his son and wanted him to be sensitive and be able to express emotion, but felt pressure from his family to not caudal him and "make him tough".

As I listens to the discussion, I though about how my value system is shaped by culture. This includes how I approach problems and thoughts on illness. As an early childhood educator it is important to understand how families view illness.  For some families there is the belief that being cold can cause illness and bundle their children up. It is important to respect the differences of all families and in order to do that we need to understand our cultural beliefs and biases.

Family Culture

In the field of Early Childhood Education we are often asked to examine our family cultural views are the importance of cultural items. This week as I look at cultural and diversity I was asked if I needed to be evacuated to a foreign county what three small items would I take and why. This was hard for me to answer, because I don't feel that I have any tangible items that are of cultural significance to me. There are several things that are of sentimental value to me and my family, including pictures, but don't carry any cultural value to me, My culture is ingrained in me, it cannot be reduced to trinkets or items. It is who I am to my core, my attitude, ideals, and views on life, politics, parenting etc. These traits I would carry with me wherever I go. If I had to pick one tangible  item I guess it would be my wedding ring, I would take this because it is a part of my social identity and a way to hold my family close to me.