Growing up ABC or CBC

[tluroc76]

I'm raising two ABCs now and I'm wondering what are some of the difficulties you have had growing up as one? Although I grew up in the US but in many ways I still don't fit in with the Americans.

Do your parents have high expectations for you to succeed both in school and career? Have you ever felt being isolated in school or at work? We live in the Midwest and the Asian population is less than 5%. In most schools, the Chinese student population is about 2% or less. My two boys, ages 4 and 2 are doing just fine in home care.

Next year my 4 year old will start kindergarten. Language won't be a problem for either one of them since we speak to them in English (mostly) at home, we also speak to them three Chinese dialects at home and they can understand most of the time.

A few time at the playgrounds or parks, some parents just stared at my kids in a not so friendly manner. Once or twice the mother would pick up their children and go to a different part of the play area.

I guess it makes quite a bit of difference if you were born in States like California, Chicago or New York, where Asian population is much higher than say, Midwest. Has any of you been called a "banana"? Yellow outside but white inside? How do you handle being isolated by other Asians?

[mind_wander]

I had this experiences before when I was in kindergarden, people feared me because they don't understand what is to be Asian. Another thing people call your child you a "Banana" Always remember most of them never truely meet an Asian in real life. Only seldomly, If you are an American citizen here, then you are an American. Whatever you do in order to deal with my own issues, I make it clear and state it, before it goes downhill. If they mock you, that is basically their slapping America in the face. If you remember this philosophy then, you should be alright.