I’ve been up since 6. Couldn’t sleep longer. Paid for the nap I took yesterday too as I couldn’t fall asleep last night.
Had a very long “conversation” with Salinda last night. I talked 10 times more than she did, but we did address the way she is changing lately. To sum it up, she is facing the issues that all transracial adoptees face. She is trying to discover who she is and the one thing she can point to is that she is that while she really isn’t sure who she is, she knows she isn’t white. The sad thing is that she is lumping everything that we stand for and believe to be true into the category of “white” in many ways.
I confronted her ideas and challenged her. I reminded her that to base her definition of Latina on the ones she met in Minnesota might not be getting the big picture. We talked about how she needed to talk to someone and not keep things to herself. I don’t know if it did much good. I don’t envy her and will continue to try to help her, but while she acts like she is much more mature and older than she is, she’s a confused 13 year old kid who wants to act like she has it all together.
I have overscheduled myself this week so I am actually going to have to say “no, I can’t get that project done” to one of my employers. I hate doing that, but I must do so.
Today I have to head to our former hometown to visit a couple of the families on my caseload and take Salinda to the ortho in the morning. Between now and then there is a long list of things that must be done.
But I had to blog first.
Had a very long “conversation” with Salinda last night. I talked 10 times more than she did, but we did address the way she is changing lately. To sum it up, she is facing the issues that all transracial adoptees face. She is trying to discover who she is and the one thing she can point to is that she is that while she really isn’t sure who she is, she knows she isn’t white. The sad thing is that she is lumping everything that we stand for and believe to be true into the category of “white” in many ways.
I confronted her ideas and challenged her. I reminded her that to base her definition of Latina on the ones she met in Minnesota might not be getting the big picture. We talked about how she needed to talk to someone and not keep things to herself. I don’t know if it did much good. I don’t envy her and will continue to try to help her, but while she acts like she is much more mature and older than she is, she’s a confused 13 year old kid who wants to act like she has it all together.
I have overscheduled myself this week so I am actually going to have to say “no, I can’t get that project done” to one of my employers. I hate doing that, but I must do so.
Today I have to head to our former hometown to visit a couple of the families on my caseload and take Salinda to the ortho in the morning. Between now and then there is a long list of things that must be done.
But I had to blog first.
2 comments:
My almost 17yo Latina adopted daughter has the same issue - identifies more with AA race than white. Her bio brothers (also adopted, and 18, almost 16, and 11yo) do not, and don't understand why she does.
Oh boy. You have just described my 14 yr old Latina adopted daughter too. She identifies herself with AA race also, and says I am racist--because I am white. She is in therapy weekly with me to try and help her with figuring out who she is and to get this deep, deep anger about the adoption out. She also thinks she has it all together and is 18.
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