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In the past two weeks I have read one book and seen two movies with the same recurring themes of transracial, non-traditional families and of loss and the importance of a mother’s love. I have also attended a conference on the Neuroscience of the neonates and how vital mother’s are for an infant’s development. It seems I attract all of these topics now that I have become a mother of a transracial adoptive family!
Last month I reviewed The Help, a book set in the 1950’s-60’s told through the eyes of several black maids or nannies and one young white women who couldn’t help but notice what was going on. In this book the maids told of the children they had raised and loved dearly only to have most of them turn on them once they were old enough to understand how things were between whites and blacks. The stories showed disengaged mothers, children who bonded to nanny’s and mother’s who adored their kids, yet taught them societies rules of inequality with color.
Last night I watched The Curious Case of Benjamin Button with Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett. This movie came out last Christmas, but I don’t get out much (four kids remember!) and caught it on Movies on Demand. I so thoroughly enjoyed this movie. Again the themes were of loss, hardships, the love of a mother and about a child being raised by parents of another race. Of course Brad Pitt is an transracial adoptive father, and I can’t help but wonder if that is why he chose this movie. To show others how normal it really is.
Today I watched The Secret Life of Bees with Queen Latifah, Dakota Fanning and several other talented actors/singers. I cried a lot through this movie. The need for a mother (parent’s) love was so evident with Lily’s character. She finds love again, in a non-traditional place with people of a different skin color, but flourishes with that love.
The book and movies I mentioned about are fictional of course. The themes are real though. All children need someone to love them and show them how treasured they are. Transracial adoption may be “non-traditional” to some, but it does give a child a home that is needed. As I have mentioned over and over again, it is not an easy parenting choice. The fact is that when you choose to become a parent, there is no easy. It is a hard job, that is never done, and will always leave you second-guessing yourself.
These books and movies are to mature for my kids to see just yet, but as they get older I have these on the list of things to show them. Have you read any books that got you thinking or seen any movies that moved you lately?
