NORWALK, CA – SAAHAS for Cause, a non-profit organization organized a talk on, “Hybrid Parenting: Being Indian, Being American” here at Sanatan Dharma Temple on May 25. SAAHAS for Cause has received grants from the Department of Mental Health to execute projects for prevention of mental health issues and enhancement of acculturation of South Asian immigrants by community collaborations.
The talk aimed at providing South Asian parents information regarding the barriers, experiences, challenges, biases, and difficulties of raising children in the US by parents raised in India.
Speaking on the occasion, Psychologyist and homeopathic consultant Deepinder Singh said for India both parents, raising children in the US has become more like a custody battle between the Indian born parents and host culture. Singh added children are raised with the fear that they will take to the host culture more wholeheartedly than their parents, so parents try to bubble wrap to prevent it, leading to very many problems, including mental health issues. Singh said the immigrant population appreciates economic and educational benefits they obtain from immigration but views the host culture as having unstable families, lacking close community ties, more open to sex, violence among the teens, substance and alcohol use, and delinquency among young people.
Erin Sherard shared the technique of raising children with love and logic. Sherard encouraged the audience not to get into a power struggle and avoid an “arguing and yelling match” with the children. Instead, Sherard said, to pick a one-liner like “I love you too much to argue” and continue to say that when a child is trying to suck the parents into an argument. Sherard continued, instead of owning your child’s problems, make them owner and of their problems, and hold them accountable for their issues without losing their respect and love.
The event was emceed by Payal Sawhney(LCSW), who is part of SAAHAS team, and community activist. The visiting speakers took questions from the audience and there was a healthy discussion about the live scenarios and challenges of hybrid parenting.
Mohan Dadlani, a social community activist was honored for his relentless service to the society.
The event saw a good turnout with young parents, recent immigrants, grandparents, and seniors from the South Asian community.