Over on the Anti-Racist Parent blog, there is a short video about transracial adoption and one of the main interviewees is a Korean adoptee. I found it very interesting because it’s talking a lot about racial identity. It gives the view point of an adoptee and the view point of the adoptive parents.

There is a lot stress on the fact that parents need to make sure they are exposing their children to the culture of their birth (no matter what that culture is). What I really agreed with is that it they mention that it goes beyond an occasional adoptee picnic or a couple of playgroups. The adoptive parent on the video said that it is our “duty” and I think that is a good way to put it.

Personally, I don’t think it’s necessary to immerse your child in the Korean culture. I think I would have viewed that action as my parents telling me that I don’t really belong in their world. However, I do think that parents can’t think that throwing a Korean New Year Party with other parents of Korean adoptees is going to be enough.

What I want my son to be able to tell me is that I taught him how to respect the culture of his birth and all other cultures. I want him to feel more comfortable with a group of Korean people than I do, though a part of that is my discomfort with groups of all kinds. Culture lessons should be more than an occasional party – it should be a part of every day life. It can be something simple like flying a kite with your Korean adoptee and reminding them that in Korea kite flying is considered a sport (complete with razor blades on the kite strings).