African Immigrant Families in the United States by Shani Serah;

Author:Shani, Serah;
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Lexington Books/Fortress Academic

Ghanaian Parents’ Fears about Americanization

Ghanaian parents have a lot of concerns and fears about their children’s integration into American schools. They are concerned that teachers might not understand their children. They worry that their children’s behavior will change; that they will become disrespectful and disobedient and forget Ghanaian culture and values. They fear that their children will join gangs and commit crimes. In short, they fear that their children will become what they referred as too Americanized: the America they saw represented in their neighborhoods and in media.

One particular aspect of becoming Americanized that clearly conflicts with Ghanaian parents’ childrearing practices is children’s knowledge about US children’s rights, including child abuse protection laws. While parents acknowledge for the need for children rights and laws, parents also indicate that, in America, children have too many rights and too much freedom under these laws, as opposed to what parents are used to: children under total control of their parents. Jane Adzo states this clearly: “In America, children have a lot of rights. Children are not supposed to have rights; children are children, they have to be disciplined.” Here are a few ways this conflict was expressed by some participating parents:

The first human beings in the US that have rights are the children, and children cannot be punished, you cannot beat the child. The children then realize that it is not like Africa. “I have more rights than my mom and dad, and if anything, I can call the police on my parents.”

You know this country says do not beat, so children take advantage of it; they call the police.

When a child is going to school, you make sure that the child is smooth like an egg, otherwise you will get in trouble if there is any sign of abuse.

Here discipline does not work due to so many restrictions, rules, even if you beat a child for wrongdoing, they call it harassment, here children keep doing what they want.

A Ghanaian lawyer said, “Another concern in school is the freedom for children to call 911.” He said that Ghanaians are peaceful, private people. “Conflicts are resolved within the family, not letting relatives or friends get involved.”

During my interviews, the respondents gave examples of how some of the parents had to beg their children not to call the police on them after a misunderstanding at home. One man said that one of his friend’s children came home and told the father what they were taught in school about calling 911 to report on their parents if they were beaten. He said that the father listened keenly. He was worried about his child exploiting this newly acquired knowledge and freedom and the consequences that may result. He had to use some of the mechanisms Ghanaian immigrants’ parents employ to curb this kind of behavior: During the holidays, he transferred the child to a school in Ghana under his relatives’ care; this way, he would be raised and trained as the parents desired.

These kinds of laws, freedoms, and rights present challenges for parents who want to bring up children grounded in Ghanaian values.

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