This morning (Monday, August 11, 2008), I woke up with a smile on my face. Not just because God allowed me to arise from my slumber to experience another day, but because of last night's "FIRM...but fair" segment.
I wanted to focus this discussion about being black in America on the one topic that most people aren't talking about. The segment title was "ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION: How Can Black Parents Enrich Black Children's Lives?" And I had the fortune of dialoguing with four brothers - Jesse, Roger, Noah and Nathan - who see the importance of engaging black children in activities that allow them to develop a God-centered worldview and higher self-esteem. I did wonder where the black mothers where, though. Their perspective was noticably absent from this conversation.
I'm tempted to summarize our discussion in this blog entry, but I'm not. I invite you to allow the BTR Player below to play. Have pen and paper handy because these brothers displayed a great deal of transparency, allowing you, the listening audience, to peer into their lives to get a glimpse of their childrearing practices.
No one ever said parenting would be easy. As the parent to a four-year-old boy, I can attest to this fact. But I also have commited myself to enriching my son's life through my words and deeds. I am dedicated to exposing him to the world through what I call learning adventures.
The temporal prosperity that my wife and I have accumulated through our labor has expanded what we're able to do in this department. My son has been on so many airplanes that I've lost count. I'm certain many of you can say the same. He has also ventured outside the country. But oftentimes it's the simple things that make the most difference, simple things like reading a book or throwing the football in the front lawn. Our children need our time, our attention. Only then will they be able to display behaviors that move us Blacks in the right direction rather than the wrong.
I will be having more roundtable discussions about parenting and prospering. Feel free to give me a call at (646) 716-5918 to share your questions or comments. My quest for knowledge is your quest. And together, we will collect the information we need to establish strategies for returning Black America to its "wild or natural state."
After listening and learning from these brothers, I ask that you answer the same question that I posed to them. How are you enriching your black child's life? Do you take them to the library, the movies? Do you discuss the events of each other's day at the dinner table? Do you play pretend with your child because you know how important it is to his/her development?
I look forward to reading your responses.
Be blessed, and continue to be a blessing.
Copyright 2008 Jeffery A. Faulkerson. All rights reserved.
Posted By: J. A. Faulkerson
Monday, August 11th 2008 at 8:13AM
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