Being the very few Chinese child the Utah classes.?

Question

Hello all, please help me with this. We will be relocating from a 90% asian community from Hawaii to Utah state with our only 4 year old son, We’re Chinese. I totally think that racist will NOT be an issue among the adults, but who knows about the kids as they tend to tease each other unintentionally in school at that kind of young age, being the very few asian child in Utah, do you think my son will have some issues being around the rest of the kids? Will he have a problem making friends? Again, I don’t think he’ll have this problem in high school when kids are more grown up and understanding, but kids really can tease at an younger age.

Also, do you think being an only Asian child in Utah versus the large family in Utah will make my son feel sort of left out, like feeling very different than the rest of the community and even feel lonely? Thanks for your input.

Answer 1

At my school (I'm in 9th grade) there are very few Asians.

I don't know about Utah but everyone one here loves the Asian kids. Because there aren't very many of them so people think it's cool :)

Like I said, I don't know about Utah but that's how it is here...

I think he'll be fine.

Answer 2

As you can see from my avatar, I'm Asian. I grew up in a very predominantly white town (with a high Mormon population, no less). My sister and I were the only Asians at my school. Really, I did not encounter real racism when I was a kid (or as an adult, for that matter). Progress is an amazing thing, and we've come a really long way as a society.

What I did encounter was some innocent ignorance that is easily corrected if you teach your kid to address it right away.

1. We don't know kung fu from the time we are born. I know that sounds silly, but you're gonna run into kids who will want to karate chop at your kids. Just teach them to laugh that off, or even have fun with it.

2. There'll be kids who will make "ching chong" noises at your kids. Teach them to roll their eyes and say in plain English that, hey, they speak English!

3. And that "pull back on the corners of their eyes, thing," again just brush it off. This is not harmful, just stupid.

In this day and age, the likelihood that your child will encounter genuinely malicious racism is pretty slim. It may be Utah, but there have been enough portrayals of Asians on TV (as flawed as they may be), that you and your family are not going to be like space aliens to your new community. They will probably be intrigued by the fact that you're from Hawaii, though. People are by and large NICE. So good luck on your new home.

And if any real misunderstandings come up, make sure to address them with your kids' teachers. The teachers can offer some "diversity" training so that the other kids can learn how to deal with kids of all shapes and stripes.

Answer 3

My son and I are part Asian (Chinese)- everyone has different issues. For my son he is a little shorter than most kids. This was not an issue until we had to move when he was in third grade. Everyday he would call wanting to come home. He felt the kids were being mean to him. I told him they were just not used to him yet.

My husband and I tried to build his confidence telling him proud of him we were, we pointed out all of his accomplishments - (the year before he had won metals and trophies from playing chess). I told him how cute he was - I don't know if that helped.

The last thing that I did was talk to his teacher - She worked her magic. I started volunteering in his class and my husband became a Boyscout leader.

Well now my son is a happy 5th grader with lots of friends.

He is starting middle school next year - I'm looking forward to new issues :)

Answer 4

as long as he can speak English (and be understood) he should be fine!! but it will still be hard to move somewhere he doesnt know anyone so just make him feel extra special those first couple of weeks. good luck with everything!:) and maybe speak with his teachers about your concerns.

Answer 5

The only problem I can see them having, is if they are not mormon, if you are religious and find them a nice youth group or bible study group, they will be fine, I know their are atheist in UT, my brother being one, but they are hard to find as friends, otherwise, all should be well.

Answer 6

yes, i think it will be a problem for him.

Answer 7

i think the little ones are more accepting and adapt well.  your son will do great and who doesn't love a boy from hawaii  (my son was concieved in hawaii on our honeymoon)

Answer 8

You really do not know much about parenting in a multi-cultural environment do you?  I speak from the voice of experience.  Kids do not learn race differences at that young an age unless they are taught them by their parents.  So, if you think that your adult cohorts will be fine with you and your race, your child will be just fine.  Besides, children, at that age, are more enamored by the mystery of an "out of towner" in their class.  Expect your son to come home with weird questions like, "Mommy, do we speak American?"  and such.  Trust me, give him time to build up a group of friends so as he grows up he will have his comfort zone.  I never had a comfort zone as my parents moved every 5 years growing up. So when we finally settled here in California, it was too late.  I was simply an outsider and no one wants that in junior high school.  For the sake of your child, keep him in the same schools as the kids he grows up with and he will never experience racism or the bigoted "outsider" c**p that kids do when they get older.  Good luck and do not worry.

Answer 9

In my experience, Mormons are one of the most culturally aware and tolerant groups of people around.  It comes from their ministry work and their desire to speak languages and be able to relate to cultures. If you are open-minded and accepting of them, I'm sure you will find that they treat you and your child the same way.