Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Racial identity - part 2 - is that really your daddy?

"Is that really your daddy?"

A question asked of my son all too often when he is spotted with me by his friends.

I guess it refers to the differences in our features, but I hope that it becomes nothing more than a passing nuisance.

My concern is that these questions may engender in my son a sense that I am a lesser father to him, given this perceivable racial distance between us. This is in fact my greatest fear, as I have a really strong bond with my son but he is now at an age where the external world will start playing a bigger role in his thinking.

Although I am protective of my son about this issue,  this is something that my son has to manage on his own, and I know this. I just have to continue being a loving and involved father.

What do you like/dislike most about Chinese women?