Bill Belew has raised 2 bi-cultural kids, now 34 and 30. And he and his wife are now parenting a 3rd, Mia, who is 8.
The Chinese say that you can know what someone’s purse and all littles (Ed: personality) will be like by watching them when they are 3-years old.
I know what Chinese people say because I have some Chinese people hanging out at my house. My Gong Gong and Poh Poh and Mommy. And I go to Chinese church and, and … okay, I know, okay?
I am 3-years old. So, I need to be REALLY careful about how I do things because the way I figure it, what I do now and the way I act now is going to stick with me for the rest of my life. And…people are watching me!
Daddy says to not worry too much about this sort of thing because God does allow ‘do-overs.’ I am not sure what he means by that but I’ll put that thought in my piggy bank for later on.
Anyway…I had an experience with a horse the other day at the big park.
There’s this ladder thingee. It doesn’t go straight up. It goes up…then out, then up then out, then there’s a big step to get across to the bridge at the top.
Getting back on the horse
It’s kind of tricky, especially if you look around at beeping horns and other kids screaming while you are climbing.
Well, I looked when I shouldn’t have and I slipped and fell through the thing. I landed on my feet but fell backwards and rolled around in the saw dust. It was REALLY scary and I cried. I am not afraid to cry when I am scared. I don’t do it very often. Only when I am REALLY scared.
My daddy was there in a jiffy. But instead of hugging me, he just said, “Get up!”
“Huh?!”
“Get up! You gotta get back on the horse.”
“Huh, what horse?”
“You gotta try it again.”
“Ni fun diao le.” (You’re crazy!”
“Nope, gotta try it again.”
Well, I didn’t want to and he wasn’t going to make me. No way. So I tried the ladder of success again. And sure enough that got to be too high as well so I backed down.
Daddy just kept smiling at me and said, “Try.” Only more softly again.
I prayed, um played a little. (Okay, I did both.) I went down the big slide again…then something happened inside. Not sure what, but I decided I am going back to that goofy ladder thing and try again. I don’t care if I do fall through it.
And I did…. And I made it! And I went to the ladder of success and I did that, too!
I decided I am only 3-years old but I am not going to be afraid to try. (Well, maybe I will be a little or a lot.) I am going to try and try even if I goof up and fall off.
Now, where’s that horse at when you want it?
Talk to Bill and others about their experiences raising bi-cultural Japanese-American kids.
