DISCUSSION:
Begin by asking the group’s general impression of what they read. How did the story affect them? What stood out for them the most? From their responses, you can lead the discussion where parents are interested in taking it.
Here are some questions you might pose to your group:
• Emma is happy that she came to the United States, and that her son has the advantages of being a U.S. citizen. At the same time, she regrets that her son does not have the freedoms to run and play that she had growing up. What is one major life change that you have made that has had both negative and positive consequences for your children? How has that life change affected you as a parent?
• Emma is nervous about how her son will react when they visit her childhood home. She prepares him by talking to him about what they will experience. How do you prepare your children for new experiences?
• Emma has very happy, vivid memories of her childhood and her culture, and she wants her son to appreciate that culture as well. What parts of your past and culture would like your children to understand and appreciate? What makes these parts of your past and your culture important to you? What steps have you taken to teach your children about your past and your culture? What challenges and frustrations have you faced trying to share your culture with your children? What steps might you still want to take?
• Emma is raising her son in a very different culture from the one she grew up in. How do you feel your children are affected—positively and negatively—by the community where you live? How have you tried to find a balance between teaching your children the values and culture you grew up with and accepting the values and culture that they are now surrounded by?
Finally, the group can discuss what they learned from the story and what parts they related to the most. What steps or insights that Emma describes surprise them or might help them through similar challenges?