what is Family?
Hung out with Athou (the Sudanese lady from church) on sat and we were just talking about stuff and the differences between cultures etc.
The topic of children came and up and she told me how her family of 6 (2 parents 4 kids) was considered small back in Sudan which is very different to our 2.5 kids average in Australia. Athou understood the reason for the differences- here kids are more of a burden/ hobby. Financial burdens of education, medical etc. plus you could argue that increasing emphasis on individualision and personal gain kids are often seen as a burden on our life or as a hobby which will improve our lives/ marrige or whatever.
In Sudan however, the town brings up the kids. In the current situation their is no access to education and, although it wasn't mentioned, not the same high quality/ high priced medical facilities. The children stay home and help out round the house- on saturday mum was having people over for dinner so I was glad to get out of the house and let mum do her thing! Athou laughed when I told her this and told me that if I was living in Sudan the whole family would be home helping to clean and cook. Big families that help each other in every area in life is just their way of life and really has become very different the way we view 'family'.
I think my friend is now finding that having a 'big' family is a burden living in Australia. She just seems very tired and has been stuck in the house for 2 months from being sick and her 2 yr son being sick.
I'm not saying that either culture is better just different. So I went home and asked mum if she wanted any help- she got me to help with the table cloth then told me she needed me out of the kitchen because she was going to start cooking! Instead she wanted me to entertian her friends later by playing the piano. -My role in the family- the entertaining burden! :)
The topic of children came and up and she told me how her family of 6 (2 parents 4 kids) was considered small back in Sudan which is very different to our 2.5 kids average in Australia. Athou understood the reason for the differences- here kids are more of a burden/ hobby. Financial burdens of education, medical etc. plus you could argue that increasing emphasis on individualision and personal gain kids are often seen as a burden on our life or as a hobby which will improve our lives/ marrige or whatever.
In Sudan however, the town brings up the kids. In the current situation their is no access to education and, although it wasn't mentioned, not the same high quality/ high priced medical facilities. The children stay home and help out round the house- on saturday mum was having people over for dinner so I was glad to get out of the house and let mum do her thing! Athou laughed when I told her this and told me that if I was living in Sudan the whole family would be home helping to clean and cook. Big families that help each other in every area in life is just their way of life and really has become very different the way we view 'family'.
I think my friend is now finding that having a 'big' family is a burden living in Australia. She just seems very tired and has been stuck in the house for 2 months from being sick and her 2 yr son being sick.
I'm not saying that either culture is better just different. So I went home and asked mum if she wanted any help- she got me to help with the table cloth then told me she needed me out of the kitchen because she was going to start cooking! Instead she wanted me to entertian her friends later by playing the piano. -My role in the family- the entertaining burden! :)
posted by Mim @ 9:53 PM
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