How important is your ethnic background to you?

I know a lot of peolpe don't look into their race or backgrounds. But a lot do. Especially asian people it seems. These days there are so many asian-americans, mexican-americans, etc. for instance i'm one. I was adopted when I was 5 months old from Korea by a caucasian family. i don't know anything really about my country or their views on life... it's actually quite upsetting. i wish i did know more. I now have kids... of course i can't really teach them anything because i don't know anything yet. . . i have asian friends like japanese and chinese and there parents came to the states in there early twenties and there grandparents came when they were toddlers... anyways their parents sent them to weekend schools to learn their original culture.... What's your views on this? How important do you think it is?

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Asked by lilma0608 at 10:10 PM on Sep. 7, 2011 in Parenting Debate

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It depends,, I think your heritage is that of your adopted parents,, who knows what would have happened to you had they not loved and cared for you,, just because they are not your BLOOD doesn't mean that you don't share in your German grandma's or Italian Grandpa's heritage,,if you need to know more about Korea and its people, you should save up and go visit, or talk to other Korean people you know,, I honeslty think past is past,, and your children have YOU to love them,, who cares what your dead relatives did.

Answer by kimigogo at 10:16 PM on Sep. 7, 2011
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I'm proud of my Irish heritage and of my German side do my children will know. We also hqve great irishfest and germanfest close by and we go and eat e food and enjoy the music.

Answer by Kitkat61277 at 10:35 PM on Sep. 7, 2011
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I am EXTREMELY proud of my Scots-Irish heritage! And my children are being raised to love their Scots-Irish, German and Native American heritage. We feel it's greatly important to know where you came from and to be proud of it!

Answer by SabrinaMBowen at 11:09 PM on Sep. 7, 2011
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Im a mut of atleast 8 different things. But mainly german. Im proud im German. My bf is Lipan Apache. I was doing research and found interesting things, like about their last names. Coronado, Castro.

Answer by teenmommy31 at 11:12 PM on Sep. 7, 2011
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Well, I know i'm part German from my moms side. Thats about as much as i can uncover because my dad has never met or spoke to his real dad. We know his name, and have pics from when he was married to my grandma and my dad was an infant, and it's obvious we all got a large part of our looks from my dads genes. Same hair, same eyes, everything. I've tried to search more info on their heritage but didn't get far. It's kinda sad to me, i'd like to know where i came from. But then I think my dad is all we need and the kind of person he is is the most important thing he passed on to us. I'll take that over knowing my exact ethnicity anyday.

Answer by IndigoP5ycho at 12:01 AM on Sep. 8, 2011
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I think my blood line is very important to me.. it's history, it's helping you know where you came from,etc. Besides you learn a lot of interesting facts when you research your blood line.. for instance... I learned on my mom's father's side we have a relative that was nicknamed Lord Fart.

Answer by xxhazeldovexx at 12:21 AM on Sep. 8, 2011
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For us it is fundamental. I am half Hispanic, and 3 of my kids are also half as their dad was also Hispanic. I was raised deep in the culture since my biodad was not around, and my grandparents were from Mexico & Spain. I try to pass on our culture to my children because it is a part of who they are. I always wonder about parents who deny something like this to their kids. Most kids do have questions growing up and answering them is very healthy.

Answer by gemgem at 7:34 AM on Sep. 8, 2011
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I was born in Norway and have always had a pride in all things viking LOL but I don't keep up on current political events or anything...I do teach my kids the traditional stories and foods thought...

Answer by livewell at 9:45 AM on Sep. 8, 2011
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My mom used to tell my sis and I that our background was a 'Heinz 57' - as both sides of the family were made up of many different nationalities. (Welsh, German, Norwegian, Swiss, Polish, English....). Unfortunately when my Great Grandparents came to this country they shed a lot of their 'old country' traditions/beliefs and did not pass very much on to my Grandparents or my parents. Also 2 sets of Great Grandparents married a spouse from a different country/background- so they chose to kind of blend things together and adapt a more 'American' way of life and did not pass on any traditions from their own homeland.

I am very proud to have such a mix of different heritages, although I really wish that my family had been raised with more knowledge and some of the traditions/beliefs of the homelands.

Answer by MizLee at 11:06 AM on Sep. 8, 2011
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I don't personally care about these things and don't research my ancestors. However, I can understand how it is important to you. I'm sorry your adoptive parents didn't realize that. Please don't hold it against them. It is an oversight you can correct yourself.

Answer by Mom2Just1Kiddo at 11:00 PM on Sep. 8, 2011
Credits: 36632 Level 28 Parenting Debate Minor

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