The Prodigal Son

I've mentioned how close Indian families are before. They are so close that the children even trust their parents to choose their spouse. White families can be close, but they value independence more. We turn eighteen and think we've achieved greatness. We can finally make our own decisions and don't have to listen to anyone. It becomes our life and we do things that make us happy. Joel and I were talking this week about different parenting styles. Kids make bad decisions. Some worse than others. Some make decisions so badly that it can effect every part of their lives. As parents, we try to protect our kids from this. We do whatever we can to teach them our mistakes so they don't have to make their own. What happens when they do? In an white family, the child deals with their own consequences. Some parents forgive and others close the door, but the child deals with the brunt of their consequences. In an Indian family, every family member deals with the consequences. The child's actions reflect on everyone. It shows that the parents didn't do their job, the siblings weren't there for them, the grandparents didn't guide the parents enough, etc. It's almost a sense of accountability for Indian children. It's not just their lives on the line. So which family would you rather be in?White families may be more individualistic, but are they there for each other like Indian families?I've seen so many pros and cons of White and Indian families. I love that I'm in a position where I get to say I'm part of a white and Indian family. I think their are things we can learn from both cultures. We need to challenge ourselves to love our kids and always be there for them.