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.

learning to breathe

Help! I can’t breathe.

I can’t get there from here unless you let go.

Just stand over there. I will be okay. Okay?

You are smothering me. I need some air, please.

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Mommies and daddies have a hard time letting us grow up.

They want to make sure we can walk up steps to get on a bus.

Come on now. Who doesn’t know how to walk up steps?

They want to give instructions on how to eat lunch. Who doesn’t know how to do that?

They want us to wear clothes correctly. Really? I can do that already.

Parents want to protect us. I get it. But who is going to protect us when they are not around to protect us? I mean, chances are mommies and daddies aren’t going to be here as long as we are. Right?

What does growing up mean anyway?

I think it means learning how to do things without the help of mommies and daddies.

So, teach me how to do things. Let me try. Let me mistakes. Watch out so I don’t hurt myself permanently. Then let me go and try by myself.

Then trust yourself to know that I will remember what you taught me. And I will be careful except when I am not.

But most of all, I will try hard to not hurt myself forever.

But first, you have to let go of my hand.

Talk to Bill and others about their experiences raising bi-cultural Japanese-American kids.