Children in the Family

America is known as the melting pot of the world. Each year millions of immigrants travel from other cultures to begin new lives and try and attain the American Dream. Over the past two hundred years hundreds of different cultures have tried to meld together in a way that would allow cohesive living for all, yet there have been societal problems along the way. Societal changes as well as personal challenges face children who grow up in current society.

Their parents are charged with nurturing them even in the face of societal prejudice or other obstacles. Growing up as an Italian-American, I was provided with a dual cultured childhood. The things I was taught and experienced helped me become a strong and able adult. In, Taking Parenting Public the authors work to illustrate the changes that children today have to face on their journey to becoming adults. According to the book parenting is undervalued by epidemic proportions in America today.

The book drives home the point that society must take an interest in the parenting of its children because of the fact that they are the next generation and will have control of the direction the nation takes in the future. The book uses opinions from many arenas including political, economic, child development and history to underscore the national dilemma being faced by parents who want to nurture their children in under the watchful eye of society.

Growing up as an Italian-American I was provided with the type of childhood that Taking Parenting Public promotes. My parents moved to America from Italy in 1963. They came for the purpose of beginning a Ceramics business and to raise their family in America. I have many memories of my young childhood years that included family members and community members in the process. Culturally Italians are an open and sharing community.

It was not unusual as a child for me to get reprimanded by the grandmother who lived three doors down when she saw me doing something I should not do. They didn't come and tell my parents, they didn't ignore my actions, they simply swatted my behind, or told me they would if I didn't change my actions. There were many positive aspects to growing up in the family I grew up in.

My parents incorporated the old world traditions with their new world life to give us a solid and secure upbringing (Italian-American Traditions in Western New York (http://www.loc.gov/bicentennial/propage/NY/ny-27_h_reynolds4.html).The neighbors all worked so whoever was home became the community parent for the day. I remember eating snacks at the neighbors house and helping their children do chores so they could come out to play.

As I became a teenager however, I realized there were some negative aspects to the closely knit childhood I experienced. I had grown up learning to speak my mind. If I thought someone was wrong I said so, immediately, and without sugar coating. This did not always go over well when I entered the upper grades and mingled with other cultures. My parents had failed to teach me about the changing societal views about parenting as well.

I remember verbally disciplining a child who belonged to a woman in my social group, and how angry she got. She said her child was her business and to never speak to her child about her actions again. The environment that I grew up in allowed me to become secure in who I am. It also taught me that there are societal guidelines we must follow, as I learned when I would misbehave when my parents were not around and some other adult would tell me to stop.

The most important family values I was given was unconditional love. My parents let me know the rules but loved me even if I tested them. I knew they would always be there and that security allowed me to explore the society and community I was raised in. The cultural values were almost unlimited as we came together for Italian Thanksgivings, holidays from home and other things that ingrained my heritage into my value system. My culture has shaped my experience in life for several reasons.

I find that I am much more sensitive to racial implications than my white friends are. I am an Italian, and most race troubles against my culture disappeared a generation ago. My parents however, told me of the things that they encountered and it has made me more sensitive to the plight of African-Americans and Asians etc. In this country. Had I not heard about the problems my parents encountered I might be less sensitive to racial equality and the importance of its achievement.

While I was growing up my parents shielded me from many of society's harsh realities. Now that I am a young adult I find that the world is a tougher place than.